The Senegalese government has called for an “independent international investigation” into “suspected corruption” at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after it stripped Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and awarded it to Morocco. The decision was made after Morocco appealed the result of the final, which Senegal won 1-0, citing Senegal’s players walking off the pitch in protest at a stoppage-time penalty.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has announced it will appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), calling it “unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable”. FSF secretary general Abdoulaye Seydou Sow stated that the decision is a breach of trust and not based on any rule of law.
Some Senegalese players have indicated they will not relinquish their winners’ medals, with midfielder Idrissa Gueye saying “no-one can take that away from us”. The FSF and the Senegalese government have expressed their rejection of the decision, with the government stating it is an “unjustified attempt at dispossession”.
The incident has sparked debate across Africa, with some questioning the integrity of CAF’s ruling. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has condemned the walk-off, describing it as “unacceptable”. The outcome is still uncertain, with the FSF’s appeal to CAS potentially taking up to six months to resolve.
