DAKAR-(MaraviPost)-Guinea’s Football Federation has called on the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to review the outcome of the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations, citing Morocco’s walkout during the decisive match and a recent CAF ruling against Senegal.
The request follows CAF’s decision to overturn Senegal’s 2025 AFCON victory, stripping them of the title and awarding it to Morocco due to a walkout by Senegalese players in protest of a refereeing decision.
In 1976, Morocco and Guinea were part of a four-team round-robin final, with Morocco needing a draw and Guinea requiring a win to claim the championship. Guinea took the lead in the 33rd minute through Chérif Souleymane, but Moroccan players briefly walked off the pitch in protest over a refereeing decision before returning to continue play.
Ahmed Makrouh equalized in the 86th minute, ending the game 1-1, and Morocco topped the group with five points to win the title, while Guinea finished second.
Guinea now argues that the 1976 incident should be reassessed using principles applied in the 2025 ruling, stating “Give us back our 1976 AFCON trophy”.
The Guinea Football Federation emphasized that retroactive sanctions should apply to teams that leave the pitch during play, similar to CAF’s recent decision against Senegal.
Sports legal analysts note that CAF regulations, including Article 84, were not in force in 1976 and are rarely applied retroactively, making the outcome uncertain.
CAF has yet to respond to Guinea’s request, and observers say the appeal could test the governing body’s willingness to revisit historical decisions.
