Afcon: CAF Strip Senegal Of Title, Appeal Trial Of Detained Fans Postponed
The Confederation of African Football has annulled the original result of the afcon final and awarded the championship to Morocco, while a Moroccan court has postponed the appeal trial of 18 Senegalese nationals detained during the match until March 30.
Afcon Title Reassigned After CAF Appeals Decision
The CAF Appeals Committee upheld an appeal filed by the Moroccan federation and declared Morocco the new champion of the tournament, annulling the original final result. The committee applied articles 82 and 84 of the regulations and ruled that the Senegal team’s behavior amounted to a serious infringement, effectively treating the team as having committed an administrative no-show. The official score of the match was set at 3-0 in favor of Morocco, resulting in the title being awarded at the desks.
The ruling included additional disciplinary measures. A Moroccan player received a two-match suspension, and a previously proposed $100, 000 fine was withdrawn. The Moroccan federation was ordered to pay various reduced fines related to incidents involving ball boys and the use of lasers during the tournament.
Appeal Trial Of Senegalese Fans Postponed And Legal Aftermath
A Moroccan court pushed back the appeal hearing for 18 Senegalese football fans who were detained in Rabat during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final. The hearing, which had been scheduled to start on Monday, was delayed until March 30. The defendants face hooliganism charges tied to the chaotic championship match between Senegal and Morocco.
Officials say the match descended into disorder after referees disallowed a Senegal goal and awarded a penalty to Morocco while the score was tied. The Senegalese team briefly walked off the pitch in protest as fans threw chairs onto the field and clashed with stewards, actions that caused close to half a million dollars’ worth of damage. Eighteen Senegalese nationals and one French citizen were convicted last month and sentenced to prison terms ranging from three months to a year; they were also ordered to pay fines of up to $550.
The case drew diplomatic engagement, with Senegalese and French diplomats attending the initial hearing. In the aftermath of the match, senior officials from the two countries moved to protect bilateral relations, and Senegal’s prime minister visited Rabat to sign investment agreements.
Both the administrative reassignment of the championship and the delayed appeal hearing underscore the continuing legal and diplomatic fallout from the final.
