A team may lose a final one sided, can lose a final in a thrilling finish, can even lose in the very last second. But can a team lose a championship title after holding the cup for two months? This never-seen-before scenario has come up after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) decided to strip Senegal off their 2026 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, which they won 1-0 against Morocco in the final, held in Moroccan capital Rabat on January 18.
Exactly two months later on March 18, the CAF said, well, Morocco are the champions. The overturning of Senegal’s 1-0 extra-time win and awarding a 3-0 victory to Morocco has layers to it.
The Controversy: A 14-Minute Standstill
In a highly charged final, the referee from Congo, Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty in the 98th minute, which is basically 8 minutes into injury time. The score read 0-0 and the penalty was awarded following a VAR check.
However, head coach of Senegal, Pape Thiaw asked his players to leave the field in protest of the decision.
The Return: After a 14-to-20-minute delay, captain Sadio Mane successfully persuaded his teammates to return.
The Result: Morocco star Brahim Diaz missed the penalty, and Senegal went on to win the game in extra time thanks to a Pape Gueye goal.
So the natural question is why then was the match a matter of concern if it ended in extra time. The answer to it lies in the laws.
What the Law Says: The “Forfeit” Clause
CAF’s Appeal Board justified the move by citing Articles 82 and 84 of the tournament regulations. Under these rules, if a team “refuses to play or leaves the ground before the regular end of the match without the authorization of the referee,” they are deemed to have forfeited the game.
Crucially, CAF ruled that the act of walking off itself triggered the forfeit, regardless of whether the team eventually returned to finish the match.
The Road to CAS: Senegal Fights Back
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has called the decision “unprecedented and unacceptable.” They are appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland.
Legal expert Raymond Hack suggests Senegal has a strong case because the referee did not officially abandon the match. Since play was allowed to resume and Morocco participated in the full 30 minutes of extra time without a formal “protest at restart,” many believe the on-field result should be final.
Also, apart from the FSF, even the Senegalese government has decided to intervene in the matter and leveled charges of corruption at CAF.
Similar “Walk-Off” Dramas in Sport
While rare, Senegal’s situation mirrors other famous moments where a team’s refusal to play changed the history books:
Wydad Casablanca vs. Espérance (2019): In the CAF Champions League final, Wydad walked off to protest a VAR failure. After an hour of chaos, the referee ended the game. CAS eventually ruled that Wydad had forfeited the match, awarding the title to Espérance.
1972 Olympic Basketball Final: While not a walk-off, this is the most famous instance of a result being “overturned” multiple times in the final seconds. After the USA thought they had won, officials repeatedly added time back to the clock, eventually allowing the USSR to score and take the Gold—a result the US team still refuses to recognize.