Morocco’s football federation has confirmed it will take legal action following a dramatic and controversial end to the Africa Cup of Nations final, believing events late in the match directly affected the outcome.
The hosts were beaten 1–0 by Senegal in Rabat, with the winning goal coming deep into stoppage time. However, the match was overshadowed by a long delay after Senegal’s players left the pitch in protest following a penalty decision awarded to Morocco.
The incident occurred near the end of normal time when a video assistant referee review led to a penalty being given for a foul inside the box. The decision triggered strong reactions from Senegal’s bench, and several players walked off the pitch on the instructions of their coach. Play was stopped for around 15 minutes before the teams returned.
Once the match resumed, Morocco had a chance to take the lead from the spot. Brahim Díaz stepped up but missed the penalty, attempting a Panenka that failed to find the net. Moments later, Senegal struck the decisive goal through Pape Gueye to secure their second Africa Cup of Nations title.
Morocco believe the delay and walk-off disrupted the flow of the game and affected their players’ focus. In a statement, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation said it would pursue legal action with both the Confederation of African Football and Fifa, arguing that the decision to leave the pitch had a significant impact on the match.
After the game, Morocco head coach Walid Regragui criticised the protest, describing the scenes as damaging to African football. Senegal coach Pape Thiaw later apologised, admitting emotions had taken over and saying the team should not have reacted in that way.
Díaz also addressed the missed penalty, taking responsibility for the moment and apologising to supporters. He said the defeat was painful and that the disappointment would take time to overcome.
Caf has since described Senegal’s walk-off as unacceptable and confirmed it is reviewing footage of the incident. Fifa president Gianni Infantino also condemned the actions, stressing that players and officials must respect refereeing decisions and that leaving the pitch is not acceptable.
The final was further marred by minor touchline incidents involving substitutes and staff, adding to a tense and chaotic ending to what had been a closely fought contest. Investigations are now expected to continue as Morocco await a response from football’s governing bodies.
