Walid Regragui says he considers himself an African champion despite Senegal initially winning the controversial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final on the pitch, and has criticised former Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw for ordering his players to leave the field.
More than seven months after the turbulent final at Stade Moulay Abdellah in Rabat, the former Morocco head coach addressed the incident in an interview with the Magharib podcast, produced by media outlet Atheer.
Morocco were awarded a penalty late in the match, prompting Thiaw to instruct Senegal’s players to leave the pitch in protest. The walk-off led to a 15-minute stoppage and scenes of disorder inside the stadium.
Supporters from Senegal clashed with stewards, who were assisted by Moroccan security forces, while some fans tried to enter the playing area. Regragui believes Thiaw’s decision showed poor sportsmanship and blamed him for escalating the situation.
The match itself ended 1-0 to Senegal after extra time. However, two months later, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal Jury stripped Senegal of the title and declared Morocco champions by default.
“ I am African champion, whether people like it or not,” Regragui said, making clear that he recognises the CAF ruling despite Senegal having won the final on the field.
Senegal disagreed with the decision and lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). A ruling could be delivered before the end of the year.
Regragui also drew a comparison between Thiaw’s conduct during the Africa Cup of Nations final and his own reaction during Morocco’s 2026 World Cup last-16 defeat by Belgium.
Morocco lost that match 3-2 after extra time, with Belgium scoring from a penalty converted in the final moments. Regragui suggested that CAF’s punishment in response to the events in Rabat had been sufficiently severe to prevent a similar incident from happening again.
The article says Senegal’s players may also have been deterred from leaving the pitch because the team was already facing the prospect of heavy sanctions announced by FIFA before the World Cup. FIFA had been angered by events on 18 January.
The final in Rabat became one of the most contentious matches in the tournament’s history because of the late penalty decision, the Senegalese protest and the subsequent disciplinary process.
Although Senegal were initially recognised as winners on the basis of the result, CAF’s Appeal Jury later reversed that outcome. Senegal’s challenge to that ruling means the dispute remains unresolved while the case awaits a decision from CAS.
Regragui, who was born in Corbeil-Essonnes, has now publicly set out his position on the controversy for the first time since leaving his role as Morocco head coach. His comments place responsibility for the walk-off firmly on Thiaw and endorse the administrative decision that handed Morocco the title.