Senegal’s football authorities have announced plans to challenge a decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to strip the country of its 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, escalating a growing dispute over the tournament’s final.
At a press conference on Thursday, the President of the Senegalese Football Federation, Abdoulaye Fall, said the country would take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), insisting the team’s victory should stand.
“Legally speaking, Senegal cannot lose this match on a green carpet, and this title cannot be taken away from Senegal,” he stated.
The controversy stems from CAF’s Appeal Board overturning Senegal’s 1–0 win over Morocco in the final. In its ruling, the governing body awarded Morocco a 3–0 victory by forfeit, citing regulations concerning teams leaving the pitch without authorisation.
The decision followed an incident during the match in which Senegal’s players temporarily walked off the field. CAF determined that this action breached competition rules, warranting disciplinary measures severe enough to alter the outcome of the final.
However, Senegalese officials strongly reject this interpretation, arguing that the match was completed under the supervision of the referee and that the result on the field should remain valid.
Fall reiterated that position, describing the title as one earned fairly through play rather than administrative processes.
“Senegal will stand tall and will legitimately defend this victory earned on the field… and we have instructed our lawyers to pursue this procedure at the Court of Arbitration for Sport,” he said.
The dispute has also sparked debate about the application of CAF’s disciplinary rules and whether the punishment fits the circumstances of the incident.
While regulations do allow for forfeits in cases of rule breaches, critics argue that overturning a completed final is an extreme measure.
For Senegal, the stakes are high. The team had celebrated what it believed was a historic triumph, only for the decision to be reversed after the fact.
The federation now faces the task of defending not only the result but also its interpretation of the events during the match
As the situation develops, attention will turn to CAS, where the final judgement could determine whether Senegal’s victory is reinstated or Morocco’s awarded title stands.
