In a shocking turn of events, the Appeals Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has declared Senegal the loser of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final held on January 18, 2026, against Morocco, despite Senegal's initial 1-0 victory after extra time. The committee has now awarded the championship title to Morocco with a final score of 3-0, following an official announcement from CAF's communication channels.
This unprecedented decision was made under Article 84 of the regulations, which stipulates that a team may be disqualified from the tournament for various infractions, including abandoning the field prematurely without referee authorization. Consequently, the Senegalese team has been deemed the definitive loser as a result of their actions during the match.
The controversial final, held at the Prince Moulay Abdallah Stadium in front of 69,500 spectators, saw a penalty awarded to Morocco during injury time at the 100th minute before extra time. This penalty, which was later missed by Brahim Díaz, sparked a protest from the Senegalese players, who threatened to leave the pitch. Following the missed penalty, all Senegalese players except for Sadio Mané retreated to the locker room in protest, while Morocco and the referee remained on the field.
Upon returning to the pitch, the Senegalese players resumed the game, where Brahim Díaz failed to convert the penalty, leading the match to extra time. In the 94th minute of extra time, Pape Gueye scored the decisive goal for Senegal, resulting in a 1-0 victory at that time. However, the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) filed an appeal, arguing that Senegal had abandoned the match without referee approval, as outlined in Article 82 of the regulations.
CAF confirmed the appeal was accepted, stating, "The appeal submitted by the FRMF is admissible in form and the appeal is accepted." This led to the disqualification of Senegal for violating the regulations. The Appeals Committee declared that the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) had indeed infringed upon the rules, resulting in the match being awarded to Morocco with a score of 3-0. Furthermore, all other motions presented were dismissed.
Additionally, the committee reduced the suspension of Ismael Saibari from three matches to two after partially accepting his appeal and annulled a fine of $100,000. It also held the Moroccan Football Federation accountable for the actions of ball boys and reduced their fine to $50,000, while imposing an additional $100,000 penalty for interference in the OFR/VAR review area. The Appeals Board partially accepted the appeal regarding the "laser incident," ultimately lowering the final penalty imposed on Morocco to $10,000.
In response to this ruling, the Senegalese Football Federation announced plans to appeal the decision, labeling it as "unjust, unprecedented, and unacceptable," and asserting that it undermines African football. The FSF expressed its commitment to defending its rights and the interests of Senegalese football, indicating it would file an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland, as soon as possible. They also reaffirmed their dedication to the principles of integrity and sports justice, promising to keep the public updated on the developments of this significant issue.
As reported by noticiasdenavarra.com.
