The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially declared Morocco as the champion of the Africa Cup 2025 after overturning Senegal's initial victory in the final match held on January 18 at the Prince Moulay Abdallah Stadium in Rabat. Originally, Senegal had won the match 1-0 in extra time, but this result has now been revised to a 3-0 victory in favor of Morocco. This significant change came after Senegal's team left the field prior to the match's conclusion without the referee's authorization, following a controversial penalty awarded to Morocco in the 100th minute, which led to a protest from the Senegalese players.

The decision was made by the CAF Appeals Committee under Article 84 of its regulations, which stipulates the disqualification of any team that abandons a match prematurely. During the final, Senegal's players, with the exception of Sadio Mané, temporarily returned to the locker room in reaction to the penalty decision, prompting the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) to file an appeal for the match outcome to be reconsidered. After carefully reviewing this appeal, the CAF concluded that Senegal had violated regulations by leaving the field and thus overturned the match result.

This ruling not only alters the outcome of the 2025 Africa Cup but also brings attention to the importance of adhering to match protocols and the consequences of actions taken by teams in high stakes situations. It underscores the reputation of the CAF in enforcing its regulations and maintaining a fair competition standard, potentially affecting future events in African football as teams are reminded of the necessity to remain on the field until an official match conclusion is declared by the referee.