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The Confederation of African Football (CAF), the other day, shockingly overturned the victory of the Teranga Lions of Senegal as the winner of the 2025 AFCON trophy and awarded it to the competition’s runner-up, the Atlas Lions of Morocco. CAF based its decision on the 14-minute walkout by Senegal, which it claimed, contravened Articles 82 and 84 of AFCON regulations. Senegal had, on January 18, 2026, defeated Morocco 1–0 to clinch the title in a feisty match played in Rabat, Morocco. The match was almost marred by unruly behaviours on the pitch by players and off-field by irate fans and stadium stewards.
Jean-Jacques Ndala, the Congolese referee, had sparked a controversy when he ruled out a goal scored by Senegal during regulation time. Later, he awarded a penalty to the hosts in the 90th minute, which infuriated the Senegalese coach, Pape Thiaw, who ordered his players to walk out of the pitch, save for the team captain, Sadio Mane, who remained on the pitch, and pleaded with the team to return. Senegal went on to lift the trophy and was crowned by CAF.
In January, CAF’s Disciplinary Committee reviewed the fallout from the 2025 AFCON and awarded sundry fines to players, teams, officials and others. Subsequently, Senegal was fined over $615,000 for the behaviour of their players, staff, and supporters, which included a $300,000 fine for supporters’ conduct and another $300,000 for unsporting behaviour by the team. Coach Pape Thiaw was suspended for five official CAF matches and fined $100,000. The players, Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr, were suspended for two CAF matches each for unsporting behaviour. It also upheld the victory of Senegal after a hard fought AFCON campaign and imposed fines on the Moroccan FA for its remiss in duties during the tournament. CAF’s handling of the situation was hailed and accepted by all parties. However, the latest decision by the CAF Appeal Board to overturn the win by Senegal has not gone down well with many critics and stakeholders.
In stripping Senegal of the 2025 AFCON title and awarding it to Morocco, the CAF Appeal Board invoked Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations, which state that, if a team refuses to play or leaves the ground before the end of the match without the referee’s authorisation, they are considered losers and eliminated. It also awarded a 3-0 victory to Morocco. The Senegal FA has appealed CAF’s decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
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CAF President, Patrice Motsepe, has defended the decision of the CAF Appeal Board. He said the different views by the confederation’s Disciplinary Board and the Appeals Board on the 2025 AFCON final underscored the autonomy of the confederation’s legal organs. “The independence of CAF’s judicial bodies is reflected in the decisions that were taken by the two bodies. The CAF Disciplinary Board took one decision. The CAF Appeals board took a totally different decision.”
We decry CAF’s controversial decision on the 2025 AFCON. It is capable of destroying African football. The CAF Appeal Board verdict two months after the end of the tournament leaves much to be desired. It tends to suggest that the recent decision was an afterthought deliberately made to favour the host nation, which could not win the tournament on the field of play. The tournament was marred by unsavoury behaviours of its players, stewards, fans and FA in the team’s last two matches.
The CAF Appeal Board’s decision must not be allowed to stand, since the reactions of the Senegalese bench and players were caused by the questionable actions of the centre referee during the dying minutes of the match. Referees are humans, and must be taken to task on curious decisions. A team must not be made a scapegoat because a referee failed to do his job well. Since the referee waved on for the final match to continue after the 14-minute hiatus, the hard-earned victory by Senegal ought to be respected. It is high time CAF addressed mounting criticisms on its handling of African football. The level of officiating in Morocco was below standard. CAF must redeem its image by giving back the 2025 AFCON trophy to its rightful winner, Senegal.
CAF’s somersault on AFCON 2025 trophy is reprehensible and unacceptable. It is even sacrilegious to overturn Senegal’s victory. Host countries of CAF tournaments should be treated like other participating teams. The 2027 AFCON should be used to fully address the shortcomings of the 2025 AFCON.
