Senegal anticipates a favorable ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and expects to regain the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 title by July 2026. This follows a recent decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) which sided with Morocco, asserting that Senegalese players forfeited a match last January. The forfeiture stemmed from their 14-minute walk-off the pitch in protest of a referee’s decision.
Although Senegal initially won the game 1-0, CAF, two months later and following an appeal from Morocco, declared that the players had violated Article 82 by leaving the field without authorization. Consequently, Morocco was awarded a 3-0 victory. Senegal’s defense hinges on the referee’s initial decision to allow the match to resume after the protest.
Abdoulaye Fall, President of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), condemned the situation as “the most blatant and unprecedented administrative theft in the history of our sport.” He emphasized that his nation “will not bend or compromise its values” in this dispute.
While Morocco is currently recognized as the official champion of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Senegal continues to hold the trophy. They plan to exhibit it in France during an upcoming friendly match against Peru, with their players proudly sporting a star on their emblem, undeterred by potential sanctions related to this gesture.