The Confederation of African Football is dredging up the past and sparking a new controversy. Following the decision to award the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations to Morocco just 58 days after their on-pitch defeat to Senegal in the final, the Guinea Football Federation has also launched a counter-attack: the 1976 tournament is now under scrutiny.
In Addis Ababa, under the old format featuring a final group stage, the last match between Guinea and Morocco proved decisive: the Guineans needed a win, whilst the Moroccans only needed a draw. After Guinea took the lead, Morocco walked off the pitch in protest at a refereeing decision, returning only after more than ten minutes. In the closing stages, the score ended 1-1, handing the title to the North Africans.
Today, following the recent precedent, Guineais calling for a historical review: “Give us back the 1976 trophy,” reads the appeal, which is based on the need to apply uniform disciplinary criteria.
However, the situation is complicated: the rule that now provides for a 3-0 walkover for a team that walks off the pitch did not exist at the time. CAF is playing for time, whilst the matter risks escalating to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Fifty years on, the match is still not over.
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