The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially awarded the Africa Cup of Nations title to Morocco following a dramatic decision by its Appeals Board.

Here’s what happened:

During the final between Senegal and Morocco, Senegal briefly left the pitch in protest over refereeing decisions — including a disallowed goal in stoppage time and a controversial last-minute penalty awarded to Morocco. Despite returning and ultimately winning on the field, that moment proved decisive off it.

CAF has now ruled that Senegal’s actions violated tournament regulations:

Article 82: A team that abandons the field or refuses to continue without the referee’s authorization is considered to have lost.

Article 84: Such a violation results in a forfeit loss (3–0).

Final decision:
Senegal are judged to have forfeited the match
The result is officially recorded as 3–0 to Morocco
The AFCON title is awarded to Morocco

This means players like Sadio Mané lose the title in official records, while Morocco’s squad — led by Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Díaz, and Yassine Bounou — are now recognized as champions.

What’s next?
Senegal are expected to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), meaning this controversy may not be over yet.