The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed that Senegal national football team retains the right to appeal the controversial decision that stripped it of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, following a ruling that awarded victory to Morocco national football team. CAF President Patrice Motsepe emphasized that no African nation would be given preferential treatment in disciplinary matters.
Speaking in a video interview released by CAF on Wednesday, Motsepe addressed the fallout from the highly disputed AFCON 2025 final, which was originally won by Senegal 1-0 after extra time, thanks to a goal by Pape Gueye. However, CAF later overturned the result and awarded a 3–0 victory to Morocco after finding that Senegal had breached Article 82 of CAF regulations by walking off the pitch for 15–20 minutes in protest of a penalty decision.
“And I’m told that Senegal is going to appeal, which is very important. Every one of the 54 nations in Africa has a right to pursue their appeals and advance their interests…not only at the highest level in Africa, in CAF, but also at the highest body, which is the Court of Arbitration for Sport,” Motsepe said, reiterating the organisation’s commitment to fairness and transparency.
The CAF president acknowledged that the incidents during the final had eroded confidence in African football. “The occurrences at the final match undermine the good work that CAF has done over many years to ensure integrity, respect, ethics, governance, and credibility in our competitions,” he stated. Motsepe added that issues of suspicion and distrust around refereeing and match management have been longstanding challenges for CAF, and that ongoing reforms aim to strengthen impartiality.
Under Motsepe’s leadership, CAF has revamped the appointment of members to its judicial bodies, inviting national associations and regional zones to submit respected judges and legal professionals to ensure independence and credibility in decision-making. “It is important that the decisions of our disciplinary board and the CAF appeals board are viewed with respect and integrity…not a single country in Africa will be treated more preferentially or more favourably than any other,” he said.
The decision to strip Senegal of the title has generated widespread debate across the continent. Senegal’s Football Federation is expected to pursue the matter at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, challenging CAF’s ruling. CAF has also launched internal reviews to address deficiencies identified in the governance and disciplinary processes, with Motsepe stressing that public trust in the decisions of CAF’s judicial bodies will ultimately determine their legitimacy.
The AFCON 2025 final controversy underscores ongoing challenges in African football governance, highlighting the delicate balance between enforcing regulations and maintaining credibility in the eyes of fans and member associations.
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