The Guinea Football Federation has urged the Confederation of African Football to reassess the outcome of the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations, citing what it sees as inconsistencies following CAF’s recent decision to award the 2025 title to Morocco.
CAF had stripped Senegal of the 2025 AFCON crown after a walkout by its players during the final, despite the match being played to completion. The governing body subsequently declared Morocco champions, a move that has sparked widespread debate.
Drawing parallels with history, Guinea pointed to the decisive 1976 AFCON clash between Morocco and Guinea, arguing that similar disciplinary standards should apply.
The 1976 tournament adopted a final round-robin format, with Morocco, Guinea, Nigeria and Egypt contesting the title. Heading into the final match, Guinea needed a win, while Morocco required only a draw.
Guinea took the lead through Chérif Souleymane, but the match was briefly disrupted when Moroccan players walked off the pitch in protest over a refereeing decision before later returning to continue play.
A late equaliser from Ahmed Makrouh secured a 1–1 draw, enough for Morocco to clinch the title, while Guinea finished second.
The Guinean federation argued that, in light of CAF’s recent ruling against Senegal, the 1976 match should be reviewed, insisting that teams that leave the pitch during play should face sanctions irrespective of the period.
“Give us back our 1976 AFCON trophy,” the federation declared, calling for consistency in the application of disciplinary measures.
The debate has been further fuelled by comments from former CAF Disciplinary Board chairman Raymond Hack, who described the 1976 incident as a precedent, noting that Morocco walked off during the match but later returned and completed the game.
However, sports law experts have cautioned that applying modern regulations to past events could be problematic, noting that provisions such as Article 84—cited in the 2025 decision—were not in force at the time and are rarely applied retroactively.
Meanwhile, the Senegalese Football Federation has filed an appeal against CAF’s ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), while Senegal’s government has called for an independent investigation into the decision.
CAF has yet to respond to Guinea’s request, but analysts say the growing controversy could test the body’s consistency and willingness to revisit historical decisions.
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