The African Football Confederation (CAF) has sparked global outrage by overturning Senegal’s victory in the CAN 2025 final against Morocco. The decision, contested by both Dakar and Rabat, has triggered corruption allegations and threatens to overshadow Africa’s premier football tournament.
«This isn’t April Fools’ Day,» «the joke of the century.» Global media outlets are reeling from the CAF’s unprecedented decision to strip Senegal of its CAN 2025 title after a chaotic final against Morocco. The controversial ruling, announced two months post-match, has ignited fierce backlash across Africa and beyond.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) immediately announced an appeal, while the Senegalese government demanded an international investigation into alleged corruption within the CAF’s leadership. «Senegal categorically rejects this unjust attempt to strip us of our hard-earned victory,» declared Marie Rose Khady Fatou Faye, government spokesperson.
CAF’s regulations under scrutiny
The CAF’s appeals jury invoked Articles 82 and 84 of the CAN regulations, declaring Senegal’s team forfeit for leaving the field prematurely. However, the decision hinges on a controversial interpretation of the rules, which state that «if a team abandons the match without referee approval, it will be deemed the loser.»
Morocco’s football federation welcomed the ruling, asserting it was never about questioning athletic performance but strictly about enforcing competition rules. A source close to the federation cited a 2019 precedent where Wydad Casablanca was awarded the Champions League title after Esperance Tunis abandoned the final due to a VAR malfunction.
A match marred by controversy
The CAN 2025 final on January 18th was a spectacle of tension. With the score tied at 0-0 in stoppage time, Morocco was awarded a dubious penalty—a decision that enraged Senegalese players, who claimed an earlier clear penalty had been ignored. Coach Pape Thiaw ordered his team off the pitch in protest, sparking crowd disturbances and a 15-minute delay. Senegal eventually won 1-0 in extra time, but the drama had only just begun.
Two months later, the CAF’s decision to retroactively award the title to Morocco on administrative grounds has left fans and pundits baffled. «The CAF is rotten,» fumed Abdoulaye Sow, FSF Secretary-General, in an interview with Senegalese daily Le Soleil. «The world’s reaction confirms widespread outrage. The president of the FSF is consulting with legal teams. This fight is far from over. I assure all Senegalese: the trophy stays in Dakar. Victory belongs to us.»
The CAF had already imposed heavy fines on both federations for unsportsmanlike conduct during the final. Meanwhile, legal proceedings for 18 Senegalese supporters, jailed since the match for hooliganism, have been postponed until March 30th.
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