The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed it is reviewing an official protest from the Senegalese Football Federation regarding the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Senegal lost the match 2-1 to Morocco but is contesting the result on multiple grounds.
The protest, filed on March 16, 2026, alleges significant refereeing errors that favored Morocco during the final, including a disputed penalty decision. Furthermore, Senegal claims that two Moroccan players who participated in the match were ineligible due to unresolved disciplinary suspensions from prior qualifying matches.
CAF's Disciplinary Board has acknowledged receipt of the complaint and stated that a thorough investigation is underway. The process involves reviewing match footage, official reports, and player eligibility documents. No timeline for a decision has been provided.
Historical precedent exists for title changes via off-field decisions in African football. In 2019, CAF stripped Cameroon of hosting rights for the 2019 AFCON due to preparedness and security concerns, awarding it to Egypt. However, overturning a final result post-tournament would be unprecedented for the continental championship.
Moroccan officials have dismissed the protest as "sour grapes" and expressed confidence that CAF will uphold the on-field result. The football world now awaits the governing body's ruling, which could potentially see the title awarded to Senegal or the match ordered to be replayed.
