Morocco won the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations title on Tuesday 17 March after an appeal against the result of the final was upheld by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which thwarted Senegal’s victory in a chaotic and controversial final in January. Senegal were adjudged to have lost the final in Rabat on 18 January when they stormed off the pitch in protest during the match. after a potentially decisive penalty was awarded to Morocco in the last minutes of the break.
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INTERNATIONAL SOCCER: FULL NEWS
Senegal returned to the field after 14 minutes and won the match 1-0 in extra time thanks to a Papa Gueye goal after Brahim Diaz missed a penalty after the restart. But now the result turned into a 3-0 victory for Morocco.
The decision adds another layer of controversy, with the walkout and fighting between fans and spectators prompted by CAF that the image of African football has been tarnished. The Senegalese Football Federation (SFF) said it would take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in a bid to overturn Tuesday’s decision.
“This is a travesty; this decision is based on absolutely nothing. It has no legal basis,” Abdoulaye Seydou Sow, secretary general of the SFF, told RTS1 state television.
“And from what we saw this morning when the hearing started, we already had serious doubts – clearly, the judge didn’t come to decide the case, he came to carry out orders.
“The president of the federation will liaise with the lawyers, we will deal with the relevant authorities and then we will go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport who will make the final decision.
“We will not back down. Senegalese should not doubt. The truth is on the side of Senegal, the law is on the side of Senegal.”
The decision now means that Morocco have become AFCON champions for the second time in their history, 50 years after first winning the title. The Royal Moroccan Football Federation praised the decision and said it had been urged to properly apply the rules of the competition.
“The federation reaffirms its commitment to respect the rules, the clarity of the competition framework and the stability of African competitions,” it said in a statement.
HOW WAS THE AFCON 2026 FINAL DRAMA?
Chaos unfolded deep into the break as Senegal believed they were taking the lead, but the referee disallowed the goal for a foul in the Moroccan box.
Moments later, the drama intensified when Brahim Diaz was adjudged to have been brought down by El Hadji Malick Diouf, earning Morocco a penalty. Tempers flared, with players and officials clashing as referee Jean-Jacques Ndala reviewed the incident on VAR before upholding the decision. Furious Senegal coach Pape Bouna Thiaw ordered his players to leave.
After almost 20 minutes, captain Sadio Mane persuaded the team to come back, but the tension remained. Diaz then attempted a cheeky Doll from the spot, only for Edouard Mendy to make a comfortable save.
Just when penalties seemed inevitable, Pape Gueye produced a moment of magic, charging forward and unleashing a powerful strike in the 94th minute to spark wild celebrations.
The Appeals Committee ruled that Senegal’s actions fell under Articles 82 and 84 of the African Cup of Nations Regulations.
These rules state that any team that refuses to continue play or leaves the playing area before the end of playing time without the referee’s permission will be deemed to have forfeited the match. CAF also confirmed that the $100,000 fine imposed on Moroccan Ismael Saibari had been overturned and his suspension reduced from three matches to one for his part in the incident.
However, the $100,000 fine against Morocco for their players and officials attempting to interfere with the VAR process will remain in place.
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Published on:
18 March 2026 07:42 IST
