The CAF Appeal Jury's decision to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title continues to spark strong reactions. The Senegalese government has expressed outrage at the decision, calling it contrary to sports ethics.
Faced with this criticism, Patrice Motsepe, President of CAF, stated that the governing body was concerned about the incidents that occurred during the final on January 18, 2026, between Morocco and Senegal. He stressed that CAF's jurisdictional committees are independent and that two different decisions have already been made in this case.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has announced its intention to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). According to several sources, Senegal's forfeit should have been noted on the day of the final, but the referee chose to continue the match. Patrice Motsepe said he was ready to execute the CAS decision, whatever it may be.
CAF justified its decision by invoking Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations, considering that the behavior of the Senegalese team, which left the field to protest an arbitration decision, constituted a serious offense. The appeal jury therefore declared Morocco the winner by default, with a score of 3-0.
This case has sparked a wave of outrage in Senegal, where people are denouncing a decision as "unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable". The Senegalese government has even called for an international investigation into suspected corruption within CAF. The FSF has denounced a decision that "discredits African football".
Pending the CAS decision, Morocco has been declared the 2025 African champion. The FRMF welcomed CAF's decision, saying it was "in the direction of respecting the rules and the stability necessary for the smooth running of international competitions".
Patrice Motsepe has assured that CAF is taking this matter very seriously and that it will do everything possible to prevent such incidents from happening again. He stressed the importance of maintaining the integrity, credibility and impartiality of referees and governing bodies in African football.
The CAS decision is eagerly awaited by all African football stakeholders. It could have significant consequences for the future of the competition and the credibility of CAF.
