FIFA Hands Morocco Major Points Boost After CAF Strips Senegal of AFCON Title
- Morocco have climbed to eighth in the FIFA rankings after gaining 18.02 points after emerging as AFCON champions
- The Atlas Lions were crowned champions after CAF’s Appeal Board stripped Senegal of the title
- Senegal are set to challenge the CAF verdict at the Court of Arbitration for Sport
FIFA has updated its global rankings following the Confederation of African Football (CAF) decision to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and award it to Morocco.
The move has handed the Atlas Lions a noticeable lift, both in points and status, while the fallout from the ruling continues to stir debate across the continent.
Source: Getty Images
The decision, which overturned Senegal’s extra-time win in Rabat, has now gone beyond CAF’s disciplinary process and into FIFA’s official records.
Morocco are the immediate beneficiary on paper, but the story is far from settled.
CAF verdict triggers ranking shake-up
CAF surprised the football world when its appeal board ruled that Senegal had forfeited the AFCON final following a tense clash against Morocco.
The judgment, as seen on CAF's official website, came after a protest that saw the Senegalese players leave the pitch for 17 minutes following a late penalty decision.
Source: Getty Images
The incident marked a pivotal moment, as CAF deemed the walk-off a violation of competition rules and granted Morocco a 3-0 victory.
It effectively erased Senegal’s 1-0 win on the night, secured through Pape Gueye’s extra-time strike, and handed the title to the hosts.
FIFA wasted little time aligning with that outcome as the governing body updated its rankings to reflect the revised result, confirming Morocco’s rise and locking in the consequences of CAF’s decision on the global stage.
Morocco rise, Senegal hold position
The update from FIFA saw Morocco gain 18.02 ranking points, pushing them up to eighth in the world with 1754.59 points, per YEN.com.gh.
That jump places them as Africa’s top-ranked side, surpassing Senegal and closing the gap on seventh-placed Netherlands to under two points.
Beyond the numbers, the ranking reinforces Morocco’s growing presence among the game’s top teams, especially after recent strong tournament performances.
Senegal, however, remain stuck on 1684.85 points. They hold 14th place globally but have slipped to second in Africa.
Senegal turn to CAS for final decision
Senegal are not backing down, as the Senegalese Football Federation has filed an appeal against the CAF ruling to the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Football official Moussa Mbaye confirmed that the appeal is in motion, with documents sent before the March 27 deadline.
The case will now shift to Lausanne, where CAS is expected to review both the circumstances of the protest and CAF’s interpretation of its rules.
That next step carries weight. CAS has the authority to uphold, amend, or overturn the ruling, which means the AFCON title could yet change hands again.
Senegal midfielder sends message to CAF
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that Senegal midfielder Idrissa Gueye has made headlines after offering to return his 2025 AFCON medal in a bid to ease tensions between Senegal and Morocco.
Gueye, speaking after Everton’s 3-0 Premier League win over Chelsea, expressed his frustration but also his willingness to act diplomatically.
Source: Legit.ng
