By Ghazali Ibrahim
Senegal has rejected the Confederation of African Football (CAF)’s controversial decision to overturn the result of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final and has announced plans to appeal the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The Senegalese Football Federation described the verdict as “unacceptable” and vowed to challenge it at CAS following CAF’s decision to strip the country of its title and award a 3–0 victory to Morocco.
CAF’s Appeal Board ruled that Senegal forfeited the final after their players briefly walked off the pitch in protest during the match against Morocco, an action deemed a violation of competition regulations.
The final, played in Rabat, had originally ended in a 1–0 victory for Senegal after extra time, with Pape Gueye scoring the winning goal.
However, the game was marred by controversy after a disputed penalty decision led to a temporary walk-off by Senegal players before they returned to complete the match.
Following Morocco’s protest, CAF’s appeals body reversed the result, citing rules that sanction teams for leaving the field without authorisation, and declared Morocco champions instead.
The decision has sparked outrage in Senegal, with football authorities and government officials condemning it as “illegal” and “deeply unjust”, while also calling for an independent investigation into CAF’s processes.
Senegal’s football federation insists the ruling sets a dangerous precedent and undermines the authority of match officials, arguing that the game was completed and decided on the pitch.
The case is now expected to be taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland, where a final and binding decision will be made.
The dispute has triggered one of the biggest controversies in African football in recent years, with both Senegal and Morocco now laying claim to the AFCON title as the legal battle looms.
