The Senegalese Football Federation has rejected a ruling by the Confederation of African Football Appeals Board that awarded the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations trophy to Morocco, saying it will challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
CAF had on Tuesday declared Morocco winners of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 after overturning the result of the final played against Senegal in Rabat on January 19.
The continental body ruled that Senegal forfeited the match, recording the result as a 3–0 victory in favour of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.
The ruling followed a protest filed by Morocco after a controversial moment late in the match when Senegalese players briefly left the field.
The incident reportedly occurred after a goal by Senegal was disallowed and a penalty was awarded to the hosts, sparking protests from the West African side.
CAF’s Appeals Board later concluded that the actions of the Senegal team violated Articles 82 and 84 of the tournament regulations dealing with misconduct and match forfeiture.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Senegalese federation confirmed it had received the decision delivered on March 17, 2026, regarding the dispute from the AFCON final.
It explained that the appeals body accepted Morocco’s complaint and overturned the earlier verdict of the CAF Disciplinary Board, citing a breach of the appellant’s right to fair hearing during the initial process.
The federation criticised the outcome, describing it as unjust and harmful to the credibility of African football.
It added that it would approach the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland, to challenge the ruling and protect the interests of Senegalese football.
