Betting companies across the United Kingdom and France have begun paying out winnings on Morocco as champions of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, following a dramatic reversal by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The decision came just 24 hours after CAF officially stripped Senegal of the title and awarded the البطولة to Morocco.
Top UK bookmakers, including Sky Bet, Betfair, and Paddy Power, confirmed they had settled bets in favour of Morocco. Sky Bet said it had paid all outright winner bets following CAF’s ruling, while Betfair disclosed it had reprocessed Morocco bets as winners, even as it allowed earlier payouts on Senegal to stand as a goodwill gesture.
Paddy Power described its action as a “justice payout,” stating that all bets placed on Morocco were honoured without limits across both online platforms and retail outlets.
In France, Betclic also followed suit, calling the payout an exceptional decision and referencing Brahim Díaz’s missed Panenka penalty in its announcement.
The controversy stems from a CAF Appeal Board ruling which found Senegal guilty of breaching competition rules after players briefly walked off the pitch during stoppage time. Under tournament regulations, the incident resulted in a 3-0 forfeiture in favour of Morocco.
The dramatic moment unfolded during the final in Rabat after a VAR-awarded penalty, with only Sadio Mané remaining on the pitch while his teammates protested.
Although Senegal later returned and appeared to secure victory, Morocco successfully challenged the outcome, leading to the unprecedented reversal.
Senegal’s football authorities have since vowed to contest the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, while the government has called for a full investigation into alleged corruption within CAF.
