Give us 1976 trophy – Guinea demands review after CAF’s ruling

The Guinea Football Federation has pushed for a fresh review of the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations final outcome, citing Morocco’s walkout during a crucial match and CAF’s recent disciplinary action against Senegal.

The move follows a controversial decision by the Confederation of African Football to nullify the result of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, penalising Senegal for a walkout despite their victory on the pitch. CAF later awarded the title to tournament hosts Morocco.

Drawing parallels with the past, Guinea pointed to the decisive fixture of AFCON 1976, which was played in a round-robin format involving four teams. Morocco only needed a draw to secure the trophy, while Guinea had to win the match to emerge champions.

Guinea went ahead in the 33rd minute through Chérif Souleymane. However, the game was briefly disrupted when Moroccan players walked off the pitch in protest over a refereeing call before later returning to continue the encounter.

Late in the match, Ahmed Makrouh scored an equaliser in the 86th minute, ensuring a 1-1 draw. The result was enough for Morocco to finish top of the standings with five points and claim the title, while Guinea settled for second place.

Referencing CAF’s recent ruling, the Guinean federation argued that similar standards should be applied retroactively in cases involving walkouts during matches.

“Give us back our 1976 AFCON trophy.”

The federation maintained that incidents where teams abandoned play, even temporarily, should attract sanctions regardless of when they occurred.