The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal Board has delivered a significant and unprecedented ruling, declaring Morocco the winner of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). This decision stems from Senegal's forfeiture of the final match, resulting in a 3–0 victory officially awarded to the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF). The ruling was made in strict accordance with Article 84 of the AFCON regulations, which outlines disciplinary measures and match forfeitures.

The forfeiture follows dramatic and controversial scenes during the final match played in Rabat, where Senegal's national team, the Lions of Teranga, walked off the pitch in protest. This extraordinary action occurred during the original 90 minutes of the game, prompting a significant delay before the team eventually re-emerged from the tunnel approximately 15 minutes later.

Senegal's protest was ignited by two specific grievances. Firstly, a goal scored by Ismaila Sarr was controversially chalked off. Secondly, Morocco was awarded a late penalty following intervention from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), a decision that further incensed the Senegalese side. Senegal's manager, Pape Thiaw, was reportedly seen urging his players to leave the field in response to these perceived injustices.

Despite Morocco's Brahim Diaz missing the contentious penalty, which led the match into extra-time where Senegal initially scored the winning goal through Pape Gueye, the CAF Appeal Board's subsequent ruling rendered Senegal's on-field victory null and void. The decision by the CAF Appeal Board, the highest decision-making body for disputes within African football, is binding under the organization's governing framework.

This development marks a rare and significant outcome in a major continental final, carrying substantial implications for both teams involved and for African football as a whole. While the decision hands Morocco the championship, further details surrounding the full circumstances leading to the forfeiture were not immediately disclosed in CAF's initial statement, though additional clarification is expected as stakeholders react to this landmark ruling.