Senegal Launches Bid To Reclaim AFCON 2025 Title From Morocco After Controversial CAF Verdict
- Senegal has officially filed an appeal at CAS to challenge CAF’s decision to strip them of the AFCON 2025 title
- CAF overturned the AFCON final result, awarding Morocco a 3-0 win after Senegal players protested
- The upcoming legal battle at CAS is set to decide the fate of the 2025 AFCON title
Senegal has taken their first formal step to challenge the Confederation of African Football (CAF) decision that stripped them of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title.
The Senegalese Football Federation has officially filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), seeking to overturn the ruling made by the CAF.
Source: Getty Images
The appeal marks a new phase in one of the most debated incidents in recent African football after CAF’s Appeals Board had reversed Senegal’s victory in the final and awarded the title to Morocco, citing breaches of competition regulations during the match.
Senegal now sees the legal route as their final opportunity to regain the AFCON title, which they claim they won on the field.
How the AFCON controversy began
The AFCON title dispute traces back to the tense final played in January, where Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 after extra time.
The match had already delivered drama before a late penalty decision awarded to the Atlas Lions triggered chaos.
According to BBC Sport, Senegal players protested the call and briefly walked off the pitch, causing a delay before the game resumed.
Source: Getty Images
Morocco failed to convert the penalty, and Senegal went on to score the decisive goal that appeared to seal the title.
However, the incident did not end there, as Morocco’s federation later challenged the result, pointing to provisions in the AFCON regulations concerning teams leaving the field of play without authorisation.
CAF strips Senegal of AFCON title
CAF’s Appeals Board reviewed the case and ruled that Senegal’s actions violated Articles 82 and 84 of the competition rules.
These provisions, as seen on the CAF official website, state that a team that leaves the pitch without the referee’s permission can be deemed to have forfeited the match.
Based on that interpretation, CAF overturned the result and awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory.
The decision officially reclassified Senegal as runners-up, despite their performance on the field.
The ruling sparked widespread reaction across the football community as critics questioned both the timing and the severity of the punishment.
The controversy has continued to grow with players and officials weighing in on what many see as a defining moment for governance in African football.
Senegal drags CAF and Morocco to CAS
Senegal’s appeal to CAS now shifts the battle to an international legal stage.
The tribunal will conduct an independent review of the case and decide whether to uphold or overturn CAF's decision.
Initially, CAS indicated that it had not received any appeal, but the Senegalese federation confirmed its submission on March 24. And a hearing date is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
For Senegal, the stakes are clear. A successful appeal could restore their title and rewrite the official record.
A failed bid would confirm CAF’s decision and bring the dispute to a close.
CAF releases new statement on AFCON 2025
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that CAF updated the AFCON 2025 review section on its official website and declared Morocco as the winner, with Senegal dropping to runners-up, while Nigeria remains third.
However, an opening segment of the introductory statement still confirms Senegal as the champions and has yet to be updated or rewritten.
Source: Legit.ng
