The Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF) has formally moved to challenge the controversial decision by the Confederation of African Football to hand the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title to Morocco, confirming plans to escalate the dispute to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
In a sharply worded reaction issued after CAF’s Appeal Board ruling, Senegal’s football authority condemned the outcome in the strongest terms, arguing that it strikes at the very heart of fairness and sporting integrity across the continent.
“The decision is unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable, and it disqualifies African football,” the FSF said in a strongly worded statement.
Successful protest
The contentious verdict followed a successful protest lodged by Morocco’s federation, which prompted CAF’s Appeal Board to overturn an earlier decision by its Disciplinary Board. Citing breaches of tournament regulations by Senegal, the panel applied Articles 82 and 84 to award the final to Morocco via a 3-0 forfeiture.
Senegal, however, has outright rejected both the reasoning and the procedure behind the ruling, maintaining that the decision sets a troubling benchmark for how major competitions are adjudicated in African football.
By taking the case to CAS, the FSF is seeking a full review of the Appeal Board’s conclusions, with the hope of reversing the outcome and restoring what it considers a rightful sporting result.
The dispute now moves onto the global stage, where CAS will be tasked with delivering a final and binding judgment. Its verdict will ultimately determine whether Morocco’s title, secured through administrative channels, remains intact or is overturned in favour of Senegal, bringing closure to one of the most contentious episodes in recent AFCON history.
Key outcomes of the appeal decision
Appeal Upheld: Morocco’s protest was accepted and ruled in their favor after review.
Regulation Breach Confirmed: Senegal’s actions were deemed to fall within violations outlined under Articles 82 and 84.
Initial Verdict Overturned: The earlier judgment by the Disciplinary Board was nullified entirely.
While AFCON titles are traditionally decided through competition on the field, this ruling brings closure to a contentious dispute that had cast a shadow over the tournament’s final stages.
“It is declared that the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF), through the conduct of its team, infringed Article 82 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations,” the CAF statement read.
The outcome secures Morocco’s place in AFCON history under unusual circumstances, sparking debate across the football world while delivering jubilation to home supporters.
