6 Clubs That Lost Their Titles As Senegal’s AFCON 2026 Crown Is Dramatically Taken Away

Senegal’s AFCON crown was revoked after CAF’s ruling, joining infamous cases of Juventus, Marseille, Genoa, Elgin City and Shanghai Shenhua. Here’s a look back at six teams stripped of titles long after victory.

Senegal’s AFCON Title Revoked

In a stunning decision, CAF stripped Senegal of their AFCON title after Morocco’s appeal was upheld. The ruling awarded Morocco a 3-0 win following Senegal’s walk-off in protest at a late penalty.

Marseille (1992-93)

Marseille were found guilty of match-fixing during their Ligue 1 triumph. Club president Bernard Tapie attempted to bribe Valenciennes players to ease off in a crucial fixture. While Marseille kept their Champions League trophy, they were relegated to Ligue 2 and stripped of the league title. PSG declined to accept the crown.

Juventus (2004-05 & 2005-06)

The Calciopoli scandal saw Juventus stripped of two Serie A titles. General Manager Luciano Moggi was found guilty of manipulating referees, resulting in Juve’s relegation to Serie B. Despite the punishment, Juventus still count the titles unofficially and continue to contest the decision that awarded Inter the 2005-06 Scudetto.

Genoa (2004-05)

On the final day of the Serie B season, Genoa paid Venezia’s general manager €250,000 to throw the match. The bribe was discovered in his car, leading to Genoa being stripped of the title and relegated to Serie C1. The scandal also revealed Torino had paid Venezia to play harder against Genoa, adding to the chaos.

Elgin City (1992-93)

Elgin City dominated the Highland League but switched their final fixture to a Friday, allowing suspended players, including player-manager John Teasdale, to feature. The league stripped Elgin of the title, and runners-up Cove Rangers refused to accept it. The season ended without a champion, marking the first time in over a century.

Shanghai Shenhua (2003)

Shanghai Shenhua were stripped of their 2003 Chinese league title after revelations of referee bribery. General manager Lou Shifang was implicated in fixing matches, including a Shanghai derby and a clash with Shaanxi Guoli. The title was revoked in 2011, nearly a decade after the scandal, with no champion declared for that season.