The Senegalese Football Federation has rejected the decision of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal Board awarding the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title to Morocco and confirmed it will challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Morocco were on Tuesday officially crowned champions of AFCON 2025 after CAF’s Appeal Board overturned the original final result against Senegal. The board ruled that Senegal forfeited the match following a walk-off during the game in Rabat on January 19.
CAF stated that “the Senegal national team is declared to have forfeited the final match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, with the result recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football.”
The decision came after Morocco lodged a protest over chaotic scenes late in the final. Senegal players had briefly left the pitch after a controversial disallowed goal and a penalty awarded to the hosts. The Appeal Board ruled that the action violated Articles 82 and 84 of the competition regulations relating to misconduct and forfeiture.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF) confirmed it had received the Appeal Board’s decision in case DC23316, which stemmed from events during the AFCON final.
“The Senegalese Football Federation has today taken note of the notification of the decision rendered on March 17, 2026 by the Appeals Committee of the Confederation of African Football,” the statement read.
The FSF explained that the Appeal Board declared Morocco’s protest admissible and overturned the earlier ruling by CAF’s Disciplinary Board, citing a procedural flaw.
“With this decision, the CAF Appeals Board declared the appeal of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation admissible and accepted it. In doing so, the board overturned the decision rendered by the CAF Disciplinary Board, on the grounds that the appellant’s right to be heard had not been respected during the initial proceedings,” the federation said.
According to the FSF, the Appeal Committee concluded that Senegal’s conduct during the match breached Articles 82 and 84, leading to the forfeiture ruling and the awarding of a 3–0 victory to Morocco.
Reacting strongly, the Senegalese federation criticised the verdict, describing it as harmful to the integrity of the sport on the continent.
“The Senegalese Football Federation denounces an unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable decision that discredits African football,” the statement added.
The federation confirmed it will escalate the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland, in a bid to overturn the ruling.
“To defend its rights and the interests of Senegalese football, the Federation will initiate, as soon as possible, an appeal procedure before the Court of Arbitration for Sport,” the FSF stated.
The federation also reaffirmed its commitment to due process and pledged to keep the public informed as the legal battle unfolds.
“The FSF reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the values of integrity and sporting justice, and will keep the public informed of the follow-up to this matter,” the statement concluded.
