Senegal Demands International Investigation After CAF Strips 2025 AFCON Title
DAKAR, Senegal – Senegal has called for an independent international inquiry into the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after the organization’s Appeals Board retroactively stripped the Teranga Lions of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and awarded it to Morocco.
In a ruling that has sent shockwaves through the football world, CAF declared that Senegal forfeited the final match after players briefly walked off the pitch in Rabat to protest a late penalty decision. Although the Senegalese team returned to the field, the penalty was saved, and they went on to win 1–0 in extra time, the board has now officially recorded the result as a 3–0 victory for Morocco.
The Senegalese government has vehemently condemned the decision, releasing a statement denouncing the ruling as “grossly illegal and profoundly unjust.”
“This decision is not just an error; it reflects suspected corruption and a lack of integrity within CAF’s governing bodies,” the statement read. “Senegal will not accept this theft of our hard-earned victory. We are demanding an independent international investigation to shed light on the opaque processes that led to this travesty.”
The controversy stems from an incident late in the regulation time of the final, when a penalty was awarded to Morocco. In protest, the Senegalese players left the pitch. While football rules generally allow referees to deem a team that refuses to play as forfeiting the match, CAF officials at the time allowed play to resume. Senegal returned, the subsequent penalty was saved, and the team ultimately secured the trophy in extra time.
However, the CAF Appeals Board has now ruled retrospectively that the temporary walkout constituted a forfeiture, nullifying the actual result on the pitch.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has immediately rejected the ruling and confirmed it will lodge an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.
“We have the video evidence, the official match reports from the final, and the trophy in our hands. We won this cup fairly,” an FSF spokesperson said. “We trust that CAS will see this for what it is: an administrative power grab that disrespects the laws of the game.”
The decision has sparked outrage among fans in Senegal and drawn criticism from football analysts who argue that overturning a completed match result months later sets a dangerous precedent. As of now, CAF has not issued a detailed response to the allegations of corruption made by the Senegalese government.
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