CAF President Patrice Motsepe Sends New Message to Senegal and Morocco After AFCON Final Verdict
- Patrice Motsepe says CAF will fully respect and implement the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling on the disputed 2025 AFCON final
- Motsepe used his visit to Senegal to call for unity and calm amid the ongoing legal battle with Morocco
- The CAF President also welcomed any corruption probe, insisting the football body would cooperate fully with investigators
CAF president Patrice Motsepe has delivered a fresh message to both Senegal and Morocco as the fallout from the controversial 2025 AFCON final continues to dominate African football.
Speaking during his high-profile visit to Dakar, Senegal on Wednesday, April 8, Motsepe made it clear that CAF’s position remains unchanged.
Source: Getty Images
The CAF president insists the African football governing body will stand by whatever decision comes from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the disputed title verdict.
The visit came 22 days after CAF’s Appeal Committee stunned the continent by overturning Senegal’s 1-0 final win and awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory on procedural grounds after the Teranga Lions’ walk-off protest in Rabat.
The ruling triggered outrage in Senegal, where both the football federation and government pushed back strongly and took the matter to CAS.
Motsepe vows to follow CAS ruling
According to The Herald, Motsepe refused to be drawn into the substance of the case, stressing that the matter now sits with the highest court in world sport.
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“There is nothing I can tell you that I haven't said already 10, 15, 20 times. You can ask me the same question 100 times, I'll give you the same answer 100 times. I have an obligation to respect that the matter is now in front of the highest [sports] court in the world.”
That line is now the clearest signal yet to both Senegal and Morocco that CAF will not attempt to influence the legal process as the two federations await the CAS verdict.
Motsepe also moved to calm tensions over claims that Morocco may have benefited from the appeals process, firmly rejecting any idea of favouritism.
“Under no circumstances will any single country in Africa be treated preferentially or more favourably than any other. That will never happen,” Motsepe said.
CAF chief addresses corruption concerns
One of the biggest flashpoints in Senegal’s response has been the government’s call for an international corruption investigation into CAF’s decision-making structures.
Motsepe addressed that issue head-on and made it clear he has no problem with any external review.
“I would welcome any investigation into corruption at CAF, be it by a government or any institution. In fact, I would encourage it. We will give them our full co-operation,” Motsepe told reporters.
Beyond the legal dispute, Motsepe’s visit was also seen as a diplomatic effort to restore calm across the continent.
He met Senegal FA officials and President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, urging unity and refocusing attention on football development across CAF’s 54 member nations.
The CAF president is expected to deliver the same message in Morocco, where he is due for similar talks with federation and government officials.
CAF president heads to Morocco
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that CAF president Patrice Motsepe is set to visit Morocco on Thursday, April 9, 2025, a day after his trip to Senegal.
Motsepe visited Senegal on Wednesday in a move necessitated by the tensions in African football after CAF stripped Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title.
Source: Legit.ng
