The Fédération Sénégalaise de Football has rejected a decision by the Confederation of African Football to award the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title to Morocco and confirmed it will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
CAF’s Appeal Board ruled on Tuesday that Senegal forfeited the AFCON final, awarding a 3–0 victory to the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football. The decision followed protests by Senegalese players during the match in Rabat, where they briefly walked off the pitch over a disallowed goal and a penalty decision.
In its reaction, the Senegalese federation described the ruling as “unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable,” arguing that it undermines the credibility of African football. It stated that CAF upheld Morocco’s protest and overturned an earlier disciplinary decision on procedural grounds, including the right to be heard.
CAF said Senegal’s actions breached Articles 82 and 84 of its regulations, leading to the forfeiture and confirmation of Morocco as champions.
Morocco’s football federation acknowledged the ruling, stating that its appeal was intended to ensure the proper application of competition rules rather than to challenge the sporting merit of any team. It added that a more detailed position would be issued after an upcoming meeting of its governing bodies.
The development has sparked wider debate among stakeholders over governance, consistency, and transparency in CAF competitions, with calls for clearer rules and decision-making processes.
In a separate development, the Nigeria Football Federation has begun an appeal process after FIFA rejected its protest concerning the eligibility of DR Congo players in the 2026 World Cup playoff.
Nigeria had raised concerns over alleged irregularities in passport documentation for some DR Congo players. The playoff match, played in Rabat, ended 1–1 before DR Congo advanced via sudden-death penalties.
Confirming the move, NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi said the federation disagrees with FIFA’s decision and will pursue the matter through the appropriate appellate channels, insisting it is committed to fairness and integrity in international football.
The inter-confederation playoffs are scheduled to take place from March 26 to 31 in Guadalajara and Monterrey, Mexico, where DR Congo will face either Jamaica or New Caledonia.
