African football has not seen anything quite like this in years, and CAF’s decision to hand Morocco the 2025 AFCON title is still causing ripples in directions nobody anticipated.
Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in extra time in the final in Rabat on January 18, but the win came after a 17-minute walkout by Senegalese players in protest at a penalty decision involving Brahim Diaz.
Morocco’s federation appealed under Article 84 of CAF’s regulations on abandonment, and 58 days later, CAF’s Appeal Board awarded Morocco a 3-0 forfeit victory and handed them the title.
Senegal’s federation immediately announced they were taking the case to CAS. Even Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi publicly rejected the trophy, saying on social media that Senegal deserved it.
The ruling dragged 1976 back into the conversation as CAF’s decision gave the Guinean Football Federation grounds to raise a grievance they had carried for 50 years.
Guinea and Morocco met in the decisive final group game in Addis Ababa on March 14, 1976, with the title on the line.
Moroccan players briefly left the pitch following a disputed refereeing call, returned, equalised at 1-1 and finished top of the round-robin final pool to claim the trophy.
According to some claims, the FGF, in response, argued that if CAF was prepared to record walkovers retroactively in 2026, the same standard should apply to 1976.
The reports said Guinea were preparing formal legal proceedings before CAS and CAF to have the 1976 result overturned.
However, in a communiqué issued on Sunday, the FGF moved to shut those claims down, confirming it had filed no action before any sporting tribunal and describing the reports as inaccurate and without official basis.
The federation reminded the public of the historical facts of the match and the format used that year, saying Morocco’s title was won within the rules as they stood at the time.
The broader crisis remains far from settled. Senegal’s CAS appeal continues, CAF’s credibility across the continent is at a low point, and the question of how its regulations apply in situations like these is nowhere near being answered.
