In a landmark ruling that has completely redrawn the map of African football, the CAF Appeal Board has officially overturned the results of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Final. Senegal has been declared to have forfeited the match, and the trophy is heading to Rabat.
The decision, released today, follows a comprehensive appeal by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF). While the scoreboard on the night favored the Lions of Teranga, the legal books now reflect a 3–0 victory for Morocco.
The Appeal Board was uncompromising in its assessment of Senegal’s conduct during the final. By walking off the pitch and disrupting the match’s conclusion, the Board ruled that the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF) directly infringed on tournament regulations.
- Article 82 Violation: Confirmed misconduct regarding the abandonment of the field of play.
- Article 84 Application: This specific regulation mandates an automatic forfeit. Because Senegal was deemed to have “forfeited” the match, the standard 3–0 scoreline was applied in favor of Morocco.
While Morocco secures the championship, the FRMF did not escape entirely unscathed. The Appeal Board reviewed several incidents involving Moroccan personnel and match-day operations, resulting in a series of modified sanctions:
1. The Ismaël Saibari Case The suspension of Morocco’s No. 11 was a major talking point.
- Verdict: Misconduct confirmed (Articles 82 & 83).
- Sentence: Reduced to a two-match suspension (with one match suspended).
- Financials: The massive USD 100,000 fine previously imposed on Saibari has been completely set aside.
2. Stadium & Operational Fines Morocco faced penalties for the chaotic scenes surrounding the pitch:
- Ball Boys Incident: Fine reduced to USD 50,000.
- Laser Incident: Fine reduced to USD 10,000.
- VAR Interference: The Appeal Board took a hard line here, confirming the USD 100,000 fine against the FRMF for interference around the On-Field Review (OFR) area.
Credit Photo : CAF
