South Africa has pledged its support to Senegal in its bid to overturn the decision to strip the West African nation of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, with the country’s sports minister confirming that legal assistance will be provided ahead of an expected appeal.
Speaking publicly, Gayton McKenzie, South Africa’s Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, criticised the ruling by the Confederation of African Football, which awarded the title to Morocco following a successful appeal.
The CAF Appeals Board overturned Senegal’s 1-0 victory in the final played in Rabat, prompting strong reactions across the continent. Senegal are now preparing to challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
McKenzie made it clear that South Africa intends to stand firmly behind Senegal during the legal process.
“Let’s be clear: Senegal is the African champion. You don’t win a football match in the office,” he said. “We will support Senegal and provide our best lawyers.”
In a separate interview, he reinforced his position, stating: “We must not beat around the bush.
“Senegal are the African Champions because football games are not won in the boardroom. We will stand by Senegal and assist them, we’ve got top lawyers in this country that will help out.”
His comments reflect growing dissatisfaction in parts of African football following CAF’s decision, which has been described by Senegal’s football authorities as “unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable.”
The Senegalese Football Federation has confirmed it will pursue the matter at CAS, with officials indicating they have received significant backing from both within Africa and beyond.
CAF’s ruling came after Senegal were found to have breached tournament regulations during the final, leading to the forfeiture of the match and a 3-0 result awarded to Morocco.
The decision has since sparked debate over governance, fairness, and the application of rules within African football.
McKenzie also used the opportunity to raise broader concerns about the state of the game on the continent, accusing Morocco of exerting undue influence.
Meanwhile, CAF President Patrice Motsepe has reiterated that the organisation will respect and abide by the outcome of the legal process once the case is heard at CAS.
As the situation develops, Senegal’s appeal is expected to become a landmark case, with potential implications for the governance and credibility of African football.
Beyond the AFCON dispute, the South African minister addressed issues surrounding the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), which has been rescheduled after Morocco indicated it was not ready to host the tournament as planned.
South Africa is among the countries approached by CAF as a potential alternative host, and McKenzie signalled the nation’s readiness to step in.
“As far as the WAFCON is concerned, we have to be honest, why do they treat women in such a fashion.
“They would never do that to the men’s game, so why do the women not know what’s happening a month before the tournament starts.
“We will not be held hostage by Morocco. South Africa’s got much more than Morocco, we are a bigger country with a bigger economy and bigger stadiums, so I’m saying that we are ready to host WAFCON.”
