Walid Regragui Becomes African Champion After Quitting Morocco’s National Team

CAF made an explosive decision: Senegal were stripped of the Africa Cup of Nations title and Morocco were crowned champions two months after the final. The ruling turns Walid Regragui into an African champion… even though he had already resigned.

The most unbelievable AFCON story: Morocco crowned champions… two months later

African football is living through one of the most surreal episodes in its recent history. Two months after the Africa Cup of Nations final, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) decided to strip Senegal of the title and award it to Morocco, completely rewriting the outcome of the tournament.

The ruling has sparked massive reactions and creates an unexpected chapter in the career of Walid Regragui, who ended up becoming African champion… despite resigning as head coach weeks earlier.

The decision came after a review of the controversial ending of the match played on January 18, 2026, in Rabat, where Senegal had lifted the trophy after winning 1-0 in extra time. However, the institutional aftermath ultimately changed the story.

According to the CAF appeals board, Senegal’s walk-off during the controversial final moments of the match was considered an abandonment of the game, which under the tournament regulations automatically results in a defeat.

The original result was annulled and officially recorded as a 3-0 victory for Morocco, meaning the Atlas Lions are now African champions for the first time since 1976.

The chaotic final that sparked the controversy

It all started with one of the most tense finals the tournament has ever seen. With the score level and the match deep into stoppage time, the referee disallowed a Senegal goal that immediately triggered furious protests.

Moments later, after a VAR review, a highly controversial penalty was awarded for a challenge on forward Brahim Díaz.

The decision pushed tensions over the edge. Senegal’s players left the pitch in protest, causing a delay of more than ten minutes. According to reports, even Sadio Mané tried to convince his teammates to return and continue the match.

When play finally resumed, Brahim Díaz missed the penalty with a failed Panenka attempt, missing the chance to give Morocco the title on the spot.

The match went into extra time, where Pape Gueye scored the goal that seemingly secured the championship for Senegal, triggering celebrations among the Lions of Teranga.

The legal battle that changed the champion

After the final, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation filed a formal protest with both CAF and FIFA, arguing that Senegal’s temporary walk-off disrupted the normal flow of the match.

According to tournament regulations cited by CAF — specifically Article 82 — any team that leaves the field without authorization can be declared the loser.

Weeks later, the appeals committee agreed with that interpretation. The verdict was decisive: Senegal forfeited the match by leaving the field, which automatically awarded the victory to Morocco.

However, the controversy is far from settled. The Senegalese Football Federation has already announced that it will appeal the ruling, a process that could escalate all the way to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The title that makes Regragui champion… after leaving

The most ironic part of the story has a name: Walid Regragui.

The coach who led Morocco to the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup stepped down on March 5, 2026, following heavy criticism for failing to win AFCON on home soil.

His departure opened the door for a new era led by Mohamed Ouahbi, while several international names were even rumored to be linked with the national team’s sporting project.

But CAF’s shocking ruling has completely changed the narrative.

With the new decision, Regragui is now officially recorded as the coach who delivered Morocco’s first continental title in 50 years.

The irony is remarkable: he lost the final on the pitch, resigned weeks later… and still ended up becoming African champion through a ruling off the field.

The reaction online has been immediate. Across social media, thousands of Moroccan fans are already calling for Regragui’s return before the 2026 World Cup, arguing that the coach deserves to lead the team as African champions.

Will he return?

For now, there is no confirmation. But football has already written one of the strangest stories the African game has ever seen.