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Senegal have been excluded from the Africa Cup of Nations due to foul play in the final of the tournament, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has decided.
CAF Appeal Board said that Senegal was “declared defeated” the latter in January, as the team’s players were off the field.
Senegal won the final 1-0. The result is now recorded as a 3-0 win for Morocco, the tournament hosts.
Senegal said it would appeal the decision.
But CAF defended its decision, citing tournament rules which state that if a team leaves the field without the referee’s permission, then that team is deemed to have lost and is eliminated.
The final match turned into chaos
Senegal’s players, led by coach Pape Thiaw, left the pitch at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, with Senegal fans trying to invade the pitch after Morocco were awarded a penalty in the 98th minute.
Referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty after a VAR review. Photo: Reuters
Tensions were already high after Senegal had a goal denied minutes before a penalty was awarded to Morocco.
After a long delay, the players and coaches returned to the pitch where a penalty was saved by the Senegal goalkeeper, and Senegal went on to win the match 1–0 in extra time.
Read more: How the controversy occurred in the final
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation said after the match it will “take legal action”said the walk-off “had a significant impact on the normal course of the match and the performance of the players”.
FIFA boss Gianni Infantino condemned the “unacceptable scenes on the pitch and in the stands” while criticizing the behavior of some “supporters” as well as Senegal players and staff.
CAF’s initial disciplinary hearing did not change the outcome, but imposed fines of more than $1 million (£750,000) and bans on the Senegalese and Moroccan players.
Referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty after a VAR review. Photo: Reuters
Abdoulaye Seydou Sow, secretary general of the Senegalese Football Federation, called the new decision a “travesty” and “a shame for Africa”.
Senegal defender Moussa Niakhate posted a picture of himself holding the trophy on Instagram, with a message that read: “Go get it! They’re crazy!”.
Tuesday’s verdict gave Morocco its first African title since 1976.
Senegal has not said where it will appeal. One option is the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), an independent body based in Switzerland that resolves sports-related disputes through arbitration and mediation.
Any appeal Senegal makes to CAS will typically take around a year to reach a decision, meaning that the dispute will likely continue when the two teams play in the 2026 World Cup later this year.
