Guinea demand 1976 AFCON title after Morocco walk-off row

Guinea Football Federation have reportedly called on Confederation of African Football to review the outcome of the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations, arguing the title should be reassigned to them following a controversial incident involving Morocco.

The move comes in the wake of CAF’s recent decision to strip Senegal national team of the 2025 AFCON title after a walkout, awarding the trophy to Morocco.

Guinea cite precedent from AFCON 2025 ruling

Guinea’s argument is built on consistency. The federation insists that if CAF can retroactively sanction Senegal for a walkout, similar principles should apply to historical incidents.

At the center of the dispute is the decisive 1976 match between Morocco and Guinea national team, played under a round-robin format.

Guinea took the lead through Cherif Souleymane, but the game was briefly disrupted when Moroccan players walked off the pitch after being reduced to 10 men.

Controversial draw sealed title

They later returned to the pitch, and the match eventually ended 1-1 after Ahmed Makrouh equalised late on, a result that handed Morocco the title.

Guinea, who needed a win, finished second and have now reopened the case, insisting the walkout should have led to sanctions under modern interpretations.

The federation’s stance is direct: “Give us back our 1976 AFCON trophy.”

Legal hurdles remain significant

Despite the renewed pressure, sports legal experts note a major constraint, CAF regulations cited in the 2025 ruling, particularly those governing forfeiture, were not in existence in 1976.

There is also no established precedent for applying disciplinary rules retroactively across decades.

CAF yet to respond

CAF has not issued an official response, but the request presents a governance challenge with broader implications.

If entertained, the case could set a disruptive precedent, potentially opening the door to historical reviews across African football.