The Guinean Football Federation issued an official statement on Sunday to address speculation regarding the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations. The federation explicitly denied initiating any legal proceedings related to the historic tournament.
The Official Denial
The FGF released a communiqué on March 22, 2026, to clarify its position regarding reports circulating on social media and various platforms. As reported by ALO360, these reports had suggested that Guinea sought to challenge the result of the match between the Syli National and Morocco from that competition.
The federation stated: “The Guinean Football Federation wishes to inform the national and international public that it has not initiated any proceedings either with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) or with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in relation to the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations.”
Rejection of False Claims
Social media posts had recently claimed that Guinea planned to contest the 1976 results. However, the FGF firmly rejected these allegations. The federation described the reports as inaccurate and lacking any official foundation.
Furthermore, the FGF emphasized: “The Guinean Football Federation wishes to clarify, in a spirit of responsibility and calm, that these reports are inaccurate and have no official basis.”
Historical Context
The disputed match took place on March 14, 1976, in Addis Ababa. Chérif Souleymane scored for Guinea in the 33rd minute, and Ahmed Makrouh equalized for Morocco in the 86th minute. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.
The tournament format differed from modern competitions. The 1976 edition featured a final round-robin group rather than a traditional final match. Consequently, Morocco topped the group with five points and secured their first continental title, while Guinea finished in second place.
Regulatory Clarification
The FGF addressed the tournament structure in its statement. The federation noted: “In accordance with the regulations in force at the time, the competition did not include a classic final.”
Additionally, the federation explained that the qualified teams played a final group stage, and the ranking directly determined the winner. This format clarification aimed to dispel misconceptions about how Morocco claimed the championship.
