Senegal won the African Cup of Nations in January (Image: Getty)
Senegal are reportedly set to challenge the Confederation of African Football (CAF) decision to reverse the outcome of the 2025 African Cup of Nations final and award victory to Morocco. Senegal triumphed in the final 1-0 on 18 January, a fixture marred by significant controversy.
A 17-minute stoppage occurred late in the match after VAR granted the host nation, Morocco, a penalty for a dubious foul. Moments beforehand, Senegal had a goal disallowed for another questionable decision from referee Jean-Jacques Ndala.
The Senegal players declined to continue, with some departing the pitch and heading back to the dressing room. Upon their return, Brahim Diaz’s penalty was kept out before Pape Gueye netted an extra-time winner to secure their second AFCON crown.
Nevertheless, two months following the final, the CAF announced that the outcome had been reversed after a ruling by an appeal board at the governing body. The statement asserted that Senegal had been “declared to have forfeited the final match”, with Morocco being awarded a 3-0 victory as a consequence.
The Senegalese Football Federation have confirmed they will contest the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, describing it as “an unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable decision which brings discredit to African football”. According to journalist Melissa Reddy, the federation are likely to contend that they did not abandon the result and the match was concluded by the referee’s whistle.
“They can say Article 82 was misapplied because the game continued under the same circumstances and reached its natural end,” she wrote on X. “The referee allowing Senegal back on the pitch and Morocco happily continuing the game will be used to state the match – and result – was valid. As the final was completed, they can argue the integrity of the game was upheld.
Sadio Mane helped Senegal beat Morocco in January (Image: Getty)
“They can also claim changing the winner of a completed final is an extreme overreach by the Appeal Board. And that the punishment for a delay – not a refusal to play as they finished the game – is excessive.”
Abdoulaye Seydou Sow, secretary general of the Senegal FA, told public broadcaster Radiodiffusion Télévision Sénégalaise that they intend to pursue a fair ruling beyond CAF’s verdict. “This is a travesty; this decision is based on absolutely nothing,” he said.
“It has no legal foundation … The president of the federation will get in touch with the lawyers; we will engage with the appropriate authorities, and then we will go to the court of arbitration for sport, which will issue the final decision.”
In addition to the drama surrounding the contentious penalty, there were also incidents that marred the occasion. During the final, Senegal’s substitute goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf was compelled to safeguard Edouard Mendy’s towel from Moroccan ball boys, who were seen dragging Diouf across the pitch at one stage.
Diouf even had to ward off PSV Eindhoven and Morocco winger Ismael Saibari. The forward positioned himself between the two goalkeepers as he tried to pass Mendy a towel.
After the match, Senegal manager Pape Thiaw stormed out of his press conference following jeers from Moroccan journalists. The 44 year old received applause from Senegalese reporters, but was heckled by locals, leading to Thiaw declining to comment on the final.