Senegal to appeal AFCON snatch after controversial CAF decision

The Senegal National Football team will challenge a ruling that stripped them of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title.

This comes after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) awarded the trophy to the Morocco national football team.

The Fédération Sénégalaise de Football issued its first response since CAF’s Appeal Board overturned the final result, strongly criticising the decision and vowing to contest it.

In an official statement, the federation described the ruling as “unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable”, warning that it damages the reputation of football administration on the continent.

“To defend the rights and interests of Senegalese football, the federation announces it will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, with an emergency procedure to be initiated as soon as possible,” the statement said.

It added: “The Federation reaffirms its commitment to the values of integrity and sporting justice and will keep the public informed of the follow-up to this matter.”

Senegal had originally secured the continental crown in January after a narrow 1–0 victory over Morocco in the final, a match played amid tension given Morocco’s position as tournament hosts.

The controversy intensified after CAF reviewed the outcome following an appeal submitted by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.

The Moroccan federation challenged an earlier disciplinary position taken after the final played on January 18.

After reviewing the case, CAF ruled that Senegal’s team conduct during the decisive match breached competition regulations.

As a result, the governing body declared that Senegal forfeited the final. The official record was changed to a 3–0 victory for Morocco, effectively handing the North African side the AFCON title.

The administrative decision dramatically reshaped the tournament’s outcome, turning what had been a celebrated on-field triumph for Senegal into one of the most disputed rulings in the competition’s history.

Tthe verdict by CAF’s Appeal Board is likely to trigger debate across African football, as the case moves to the sport’s highest arbitration authority in Switzerland.