The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has stripped Senegal of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title they won in January and declared Morocco champions following disciplinary breaches during the final.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, CAF said “the Senegal national team is declared to have forfeited the match,” originally a 1–0 victory, with the result officially recorded as 3–0 in favour of Morocco.

The decision follows chaotic scenes late in the match, when several Senegalese players temporarily left the pitch in protest against a refereeing decision.

Minutes before the end of the game, some Senegal supporters also attempted a pitch invasion, while the players halted play for nearly 20 minutes to protest a late penalty awarded to Morocco.

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) stated that “its action was never intended to contest the sporting performance of the teams… but solely to request the application of the competition regulations”.

The controversial penalty was awarded at the end of normal time with the match goalless, sparking a walk-off by Senegal’s players and leading to a lengthy delay.

When play eventually resumed, Brahim Diaz missed the penalty, and Pape Gueye later scored the winner in extra time.

Senegal had initially stunned Morocco with a 1–0 extra-time victory, courtesy of Gueye’s goal, in a final marred by controversy following the late penalty decision.

Diaz could have secured the title for Morocco when he stepped up to take the spot-kick in the 24th minute of added time, but Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy comfortably saved the weak chipped attempt.

Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded the penalty after a VAR review for a challenge on Diaz by Senegal defender El Hadji Malick Diouf.

The decision triggered furious protests from Senegal’s players and supporters, some of whom threw objects and attempted to breach the field before being contained by security personnel.

Earlier, Senegal had also been angered by the disallowance of a goal in added time, when Abdoulaye Seck’s header rebounded off the post and was turned in by Ismaila Sarr.

Despite Diaz’s missed penalty, Senegal regrouped and scored in the fourth minute of extra time, sending the home crowd of 66,526 at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium into stunned silence.