AFCON crisis: Global outrage as CAF hands Senegal’s cup to Morocco

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On January 18, 2026, Senegal edged Morocco 1–0 in the Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat, lifting the trophy before a global audience in a moment of triumph. But just 58 days later, the Confederation of African Football stripped them of the title, igniting outrage across the continent. PETER AKINBO reports

Nearly two months after the final whistle in Rabat, when Senegal’s players hoisted the Africa Cup of Nations trophy amid euphoric celebrations, the Confederation of African Football issued a stunning reversal: strip Senegal of the title and award it to Morocco.

The March 17 ruling has ignited one of the fiercest controversies in African football history, drawing widespread condemnation from players, pundits, politicians and fans, while raising troubling questions about governance, political interference and the integrity of the continent’s premier competition.

What happened on the night

The 2025 AFCON final on January 18 in Rabat was always destined to be emotionally charged, but few could have foreseen the chaos that unfolded in its closing stages. Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala ruled out a Senegal goal during regulation time before pointing to the spot for Morocco in the 90th minute—a decision that sparked fury on the Senegalese bench. Coach Pape Thiaw responded by ordering his players off the pitch in protest, with only captain Sadio Mané standing his ground.

For more than 17 minutes, the match hovered on the brink of abandonment. It took Mané’s intervention to coax his teammates back onto the field. Brahim Díaz subsequently missed the penalty, and deep into added time, Pape Gueye struck the decisive goal to seal a dramatic 1–0 victory for Senegal. The Lions of Teranga rejoiced. The trophy was hoisted. The celebrations swept through Dakar.

Then CAF changed everything.