Senegal demands international probe into CAF over AFCON 2025 title dispute

The government of Sénégal has responded swiftly to a decision from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal Jury, which has declared the nation forfeited the final match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025. The ruling, which followed the final played on January 18, consequently names Maroc as the tournament champion.

In a formal statement, the Senegalese government condemned the verdict as “unprecedented and exceptionally serious,” arguing that it fundamentally violates the cardinal principles of sports ethics, including equity, loyalty, and respect for the outcome on the pitch.

Unequivocally rejecting what it termed an “unjustified dispossession,” the government has formally requested an independent international investigation into “suspicions of corruption within the governing bodies of CAF.” This development is a significant event in African current affairs, raising questions about African governance within sport.

The government also affirmed its commitment to resolving the situation for Senegalese supporters who were detained in Maroc following incidents during the final. It stated it will remain vigilant and unyielding in “defending the rights of the Senegalese national team and restoring the honor of African sport.”

The CAF Decision Explained

Maroc was awarded the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title after CAF nullified the final’s result due to Sénégal’s controversial walk-off.

On January 18, Sénégal had defeated Maroc 1-0 in a final that was overshadowed when the Senegalese players refused to continue playing after a penalty was awarded against them in stoppage time, with the score at 0-0.

After an interruption of approximately 17 minutes, the team returned to the pitch. The subsequent penalty kick from Brahim Diaz was saved, and Pape Gueye later scored the winning goal in extra time.

However, the appeals committee of African football’s governing body overturned this result.

In its statement, CAF announced that Sénégal was “declared to have forfeited the final” and the “match result was recorded as 3-0 in favor” of Maroc. The Senegalese Football Federation has declared its intention to appeal this ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), labeling it an “unjust, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision that discredits African football.”

This Africa breaking news follows a successful appeal by the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), which CAF deemed “admissible in its form.”

CAF elaborated that Sénégal’s team conduct violated Article 82 of the Africa Cup of Nations regulations, which triggered the application of Article 84.

Article 82 states that if a team refuses to play or leaves the pitch before the end of regulation time without the referee’s permission, it will be declared the loser and eliminated from the competition. Article 84 further clarifies that a team in breach of Article 82 forfeits the match with a 3-0 score.

The FRMF stated its appeal was not intended to “question the sporting performance of the teams” but was a request for the “application of the competition’s regulations.”

“The federation reaffirms its commitment to respecting the rules, ensuring the clarity of the competitive framework, and maintaining the stability of African competitions,” the FRMF added. It also congratulated all participating nations in what it called a major turning point for football across the continent news landscape.

Recap of the AFCON Final’s Events

With the match tied at 0-0, referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded a penalty in the eighth minute of added time. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) advised Ndala to review the monitor for a challenge by defender El Hadji Malick Diouf on Diaz.

Sénégal’s coach, Pape Thiaw, already incensed by Ndala’s earlier decision to disallow a goal by Ismaïla Sarr, instructed his team to leave the field in protest.

Former Liverpool forward Sadio Mané remained on the pitch, trying to persuade his teammates to finish the game. After a 17-minute delay, the Senegalese players returned.

Real Madrid’s Diaz stepped up to take the spot-kick, but his softly attempted “panenka” was easily caught by goalkeeper Édouard Mendy, after which Ndala blew the final whistle for full-time.

Villarreal midfielder Gueye then scored the decisive goal in the fourth minute of extra time, securing what appeared to be Sénégal’s second title in five years.

In his post-match press conference, Moroccan coach Walid Regragui described Sénégal’s actions as “shameful” and said they did not “bring honor to Africa.” FIFA President Gianni Infantino also condemned the “deplorable scenes” in an Instagram post.

Coach Thiaw’s press conference was cancelled after a disturbance in the media room. However, in a later interview, he admitted he should not have ordered his team off the pitch and offered his “apologies to football.”