18.03.2026 13:44
The African Football Confederation accepted Morocco's appeal, declaring Senegal the loser by default and awarding the championship to Morocco with a score of 3-0; the Fenerbahçe-Galatasaray derby was also cited as a precedent in the appeal.
The appeal regarding the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final changed the fate of the tournament. The African Football Confederation accepted Morocco's application, declaring Senegal the loser by default and awarding the championship to Morocco.
DECISION OF DEFAULT LOSS TO SENEGAL
In the federation's statement, it was noted that the Senegal team violated the tournament regulations due to their behavior. In this context, it was announced that Senegal lost the final match by default and that the match was recorded as 3-0 in favor of Morocco.
FENERBAHÇE-GALATASARAY DERBY CITED AS PRECEDENT
According to the French press Le Parisien, Morocco cited two matches as a precedent in its appeal. One of these matches was the Wydad - Esperance final played in the CAF Champions League, while the other was the Super Cup match played between Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray in 2024. The withdrawal of teams from the field in these matches was presented as an example.
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FINAL MATCH?
Events that occurred during the extra minutes of the final match led to a crisis. After the penalty decision awarded in favor of Morocco in the 90+5th minute, Senegalese players protested for a long time and withdrew from the field. Although they returned to the field later, the flow of the match was seriously affected.
Brahim Diaz took the penalty on behalf of Morocco, but goalkeeper Edouard Mendy did not allow a goal. In extra time, Senegal took the lead 1-0 with a goal from Pape Gueye, leaving the field as winners and winning the cup. However, after the appeal, this result was declared invalid.