The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has defended CAF’s decision to overturn the result of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final and declare Morocco as champions.
The match had initially ended 1-0 in favour of Senegal after extra time, with Pape Gueye scoring the winner following a missed late penalty by Real Madrid star Brahim Diaz in regulation time.
However, CAF’s Appeal Jury later ruled that Senegal breached Articles 82 and 84 of the competition’s regulations after refusing to continue play in stoppage time, leading to the game being awarded 3-0 to Morocco and the Atlas Lions officially crowned champions.
The Moroccan FA explained that its move to challenge the result was strictly based on ensuring that the rules of the competition were properly applied, rather than questioning Senegal’s performance on the pitch.
It also stressed the need for clarity, respect for regulations and stability within African football competitions, while highlighting the importance of maintaining a fair and structured framework.
“The FRMF wishes to reiterate that its actions were never intended to contest the sporting performance of the teams involved in this competition, but solely to request the application of the competition rules,” the statement said.
“The Federation reaffirms its commitment to the respect of regulations, the clarity of the competitive framework, and the stability of African competitions. Finally, it wishes to commend all the nations that participated in this edition of the AFCON, which served as a major moment for African football.”
The response from Morocco adds another layer to the ongoing dispute, with Senegal already heading to CAS as the battle over the 2025 AFCON title continues.
