The Confederation of African Football has stripped Senegal of its 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title, a radical decision made in March 2026 following the controversial events of the final. This annulment officially awards the Africa Cup of Nations to Morocco, the team beaten 1-0 after extra time on January 18, 2026.
Senegal had nonetheless won its second continental title on the pitch after an extremely tense final. The referee first disallowed a Senegalese goal before awarding Morocco a penalty in the closing minutes of regular time. Coach Pape Thiaw then led his players off the pitch in protest, causing a stoppage of over fifteen minutes. Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saved the team by stopping Brahim Diaz's attempt, allowing the Lions of Teranga to score in extra time and lift the trophy.
The CAF Appeal Board ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match by leaving the pitch. According to the regulations, a team that abandons play faces forfeiture. This unprecedented decision for an AFCON final comes nearly two months after the events. It completely reverses the scenario celebrated by millions of Senegalese in January. CAF considered that the protest, although understandable in the heat of the moment, could not justify interrupting the match.
The 2025 AFCON hosted by Morocco broke all attendance records with over 1.1 million spectators by the quarterfinals. The tournament also set a new goals record with 120 scored before the semifinals, surpassing the 119 goals from the 2023 edition. Morocco's Brahim Diaz became the first player in history to score in each of his first five matches of an AFCON, finishing as top scorer with five goals. Egypt's Mohamed Salah scored against eleven different nations in the Africa Cup, a record set during the quarterfinal win against Côte d'Ivoire.
The Lions of Teranga had eliminated Mali in the quarterfinals before qualifying for the final. The other quarters saw Egypt knock out the defending Ivorian champions, Nigeria beat Algeria, and Morocco eliminate Cameroon. All quarterfinalists except Mali were former AFCON winners. The final victory should have crowned a solid campaign in a tournament considered the continent's most prestigious competition, organized every two years by CAF since 1968.
This decision comes as Senegal actively prepares for the 2026 World Cup. The national team currently sits 3rd in its qualifying group, with 3 points from three games (1 win, 0 draws, 2 losses). Its current record shows 8 goals scored and 6 conceded, for a +2 goal difference. It trails group leaders France by 6 points. The last outing ended in a 3-2 defeat to Belgium on July 1, 2026, and the recent form over the last five matches is 2 wins and 3 losses (LLWWL). Fans can follow the group's progress on our standings page and check the fixtures schedule for upcoming decisive matches.
Losing a continental title in this manner represents a psychological blow for the squad. The staff must manage this disappointment while maintaining focus on the global objective. The encouraging offensive statistics (8 goals) contrast with a defense that conceded in the last two defeats. Mental and tactical rebuilding now appears as the main challenge for Pape Thiaw and his players in the coming months.
