The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially awarded Morocco the title of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after overturning the final result against Senegal. This decision comes in light of an incident during the final match held in Rabat on January 19, where Senegalese players protested by leaving the pitch following a disallowed goal and a controversial penalty awarded to Morocco. CAF's appeal board ruled that the actions of Senegal's players amounted to misconduct, thus invoking Articles 82 and 84 of its competition rules regarding match forfeiture.

As a result of this ruling, Senegal's Federation was deemed to have forfeited the match, which has now been recorded as a 3-0 victory for Morocco. This dramatic turn of events followed an earlier decision by CAF's disciplinary board, which had been set aside due to procedural issues in handling the appeal filed by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football. The decision underscores the power of CAF's appeal board in adjudicating appeals and reflects the complexities involved in managing disputes within sports governing bodies.

In response to CAF's ruling, the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football expressed strong discontent, labeling the decision as unfair and detrimental to the integrity of African football. The Senegalese federation plans to contest the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, highlighting the ongoing tensions and implications for football governance in Africa as stakeholders grapple with the outcome of this contentious match and its effect on the sport's credibility across the continent.