The CAF’s Appeal Jury ruled in favor of Morocco’s protest, citing violations of the tournament’s regulations during the chaotic final in Rabat on January 18. The decision came after the Moroccan Football Federation filed an appeal challenging the legitimacy of Senegal’s on-field victory.

According to the CAF Appeal Jury’s official statement: «The Appeal Jury of the African Football Confederation (CAF) has decided, in application of Article 84 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations, to declare the Senegal national team forfeit in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, with the result being recorded as a 3-0 victory for the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.»

The jury specifically cited Senegal’s team behavior as falling under Articles 82 and 84 of the competition regulations. Article 82 states that «if, for any reason, a team leaves the field before the regulation end of the match without the referee’s permission, it will be considered as having lost and will be definitively eliminated from the competition.»

Article 84 further clarifies that «the team that violates the provisions of Articles 82 and 83 will be definitively excluded from the competition» and «will lose the match 3-0.»

The Moroccan Football Federation responded to the decision with a statement emphasizing that «its appeal was never intended to question the sporting performance of the teams involved in the competition, but solely to request the strict application of the tournament’s regulations.»