The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has officially challenged the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) decision to strip them of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, following the controversial final against Morocco. CAF's appeal board overturned Senegal's initial 1-0 victory and declared Morocco the winner by forfeit (3-0), citing violations of Articles 82 and 84 of the competition's regulations.
The CAF decision follows a complaint filed by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), contesting the result of match N°52 of the Total Energies AFCON Morocco 2025. Senegalese players had briefly left the field to protest a refereeing decision, an event that CAF considered a violation of the regulations. The FSF denounces the decision as "unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable, which discredits African football".
In a statement issued on March 17, 2026, the FSF announced its intention to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland. The Senegalese federation stated that it would initiate proceedings as soon as possible to defend its rights and the interests of Senegalese football. The CAS is the highest authority for resolving sports disputes.
According to CAF regulations, Article 82 stipulates that a team that refuses to play or leaves the field before the end of the match without the referee's authorization loses the match. Article 84 then provides for a 3-0 victory for the opposing team. The FSF disputes the application of these articles in this specific case.
The FSF reaffirmed its commitment to the values of integrity and sports justice and pledged to keep the public informed of developments in this matter. The CAS has been seized and will have to rule on the validity of the CAF decision. The legal battle for the 2025 AFCON title has therefore begun.
Senegal has 10 days from the date of the CAF decision to file its appeal with the CAS. The CAS decision will be final and without appeal.
