‘Total BS & CAF should be ashamed! Senegal won AFCON on the pitch; Morocco played dirty but corruption is their middle name’

The Confederation of African Football, CAF, on Tuesday decided to strip Senegal their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title and declared Morocco as the deserving champions.

According to CAF, the Teranga Lions forfeited the game after remaining off the pitch for too long, and despite winning by a solitary goal, Article 84 of the Regulations had to be applied following an appeal from the Atlas Lions.

The CAF Appeal Board decided that in application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 (“the Match”),…

— CAF Media (@CAF_Media) March 17, 2026

The North African nation was awarded a 3-0 win as a result. However, the majority of the fans are unhappy with the ruling. Have a look at their arguments as sampled by Afrik-Foot.

AFCON dignity belongs to Senegal

CAF is becoming a joke of a football federation. Why did you not request the referee to end the final match in favor of Morocco?  Why continue the match till the end when you knew Article 84 already forfeits their victory when they want to win?  With this unthinkable decision, is the trophy going to be returned to Morocco, and Senegal stripped of their title holder rights?  If payments were made to Senegal for winning the tournament, are you going to request a refund and all other benefits that accompanied their crowning?  Listen, Morocco equally did some of the ugliest stuff on the field. They are not saints. You should stop pontificating about their sore defeat, as the doing of Senegal – MPK

Delete the whole organization, you just called African football a joke in front of the world. And you want the world to take Africa seriously. Shame on you, CAF – Hlongwane

The other countries should boycott AFCON until this stupid decision is reversed. It is Senegal today, it can be your team tomorrow – Bayomi

The world saw it. CAF may have handed the honor to Morocco, but the dignity belongs to the team that actually won on the pitch — Senegal. Football is decided by what happens on the field, not by decisions made behind the table. History will remember who truly earned the victory – Ekiti Man

Total BS! You should be ashamed. The world has moved on. Instead of helping Africa focus on the World Cup, you bring this nonsensical, meaningless ruling.  Didn’t you rule Senegal won even after Morocco appealed?   So what changed?  If it’s about fair play, Morocco played dirty all through, and Senegal were even denied a penalty. Corruption is CAF’s middle name – Hersi

Senegal deserve this

African football in the mud. So they would have continued with the game with serious fighting going on in the crowd between fans and stewards? – Fisayo Dairo

CAF overturning the AFCON final months later and handing the trophy to Morocco on a technicality is a dangerous precedent for African football.  Football matches should be decided on the pitch, not in boardrooms. Stripping Senegal of a title after the fact undermines the integrity, credibility, and spirit of the game across the continent. African football deserves better governance. – Tayo Babatunde

The CAF does not have the authority to change an on-field referee decision. Shameless organization Pablo Gold Sheriff

Senegal gave their all in the final. Fans celebrated. And months later… CAF declares a forfeit. How do you explain this to a whole nation? – Nancy Isime

Senegal deserves this, though. This will serve as a deterrent to other nations from doing what they did. Good decision by CAF – DawgsHQ