The shocking and unprecedented decision to strip Senegal of this year’s African Cup of Nations (AFCON) crown and award the title to beaten finalists Morocco has sent shockwaves through the continent’s football community.
Senegal’s football federation confirmed it will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Secretary general Abdoulaye Seydou Sow said on state radio RTS: “We will contact our lawyers and file an appeal. We will stop at nothing. The law is on our side,” calling the decision a “disgrace for Africa.”
Retrospective stripping of titles is rare. Juventus lost two Serie A titles in the mid-2000s over match-fixing, and Marseille had a Ligue 1 trophy removed after a 1993 bribery scandal. More recently, Romania was awarded a 3-0 win over Kosovo in 2024 after Kosovo walked off in the final minute amid pro-Serbia chanting; UEFA found Kosovo responsible. Against that backdrop, CAF’s reversal is seismic, especially since the issue seemed settled in January when both teams were fined and Morocco’s appeal was dismissed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
“The timing is really bad. CAF should have taken a decision earlier, quicker. The situation has only rotted more and more,” said DW’s Ali Farhat, an African football expert who attended the tournament and the final. “Plus, if Senegal wins in front of the CAS, CAF is going to look less and less credible as an institution. It is really bad for African football.”
Former CAF media consultant Collins Okinyo echoed that view: “It puts African football under a lot of scrutiny because the decision has shocked almost everyone.”
Okinyo does not blame Morocco for pursuing the rulebook. Moroccan researcher and sports politics expert Moncef El Yazghi also stressed the importance of applying the law. “Announcing the title two months after the end of the tournament is secondary, as history remembers titles and results rather than the surrounding circumstances,” he said. “Moreover, this establishes a vital legal precedent that will deter other teams from withdrawing from matches whenever a referee’s decision does not suit them—a behavior that has unfortunately been observed in several matches across the African continent in recent weeks.”
Coupled with the recent postponement of the women’s AFCON, the overall image of African football has taken a hit. “If you look at it critically, the value of African football will definitely go down with this,” Okinyo said.
Much criticism has focused on the referee’s handling of a chaotic final. Senegal walked off after a late goal was disallowed and Morocco were later awarded an injury-time penalty, which they missed when play resumed. Okinyo noted that several top CAF and tournament officials were present at the stadium, which may have influenced how events unfolded. “It’s a situation that deserves deeper reflection.”
DW has contacted CAF with questions but had not received a reply.
On whether Morocco overreached, El Yazghi rejected suggestions of undue influence. “The suggestion that there was Moroccan interference in the decision is incorrect; Morocco simply exercised its right to litigation,” he said. “Morocco does not ‘control’ CAF. This is evidenced by the fact that Morocco lost two Women’s AFCON finals on home soil, one of which was due to a clear refereeing error. CAF has its own jurisdictions and authorities, and its integrity cannot be questioned without evidence. Ultimately, CAS will have the final word—unless one believes Morocco controls CAS as well.”
With Senegal’s appeal heading to the highest court in sport, tougher questions will follow: how did events reach this point, and what decisions led to the final’s chaos? For many, the most disappointing aspect is that this dispute overshadows an AFCON widely regarded as a success for host Morocco and the continent.
“The AFCON in Morocco was the best ever,” Okinyo said. “A lot was done to improve facilities and the organization was perfect, but the tournament was overshadowed by the final. It was one of the worst things to happen. The impact is heavy. African football led by [CAF President] Patrice Motsepe has to find a way to bring things back to life, because at this moment the damage is so big.”
El Yazghi argued that the decision should, contrary to much reporting, burnish African football’s image by demonstrating the application of law and access to litigation. “The real issue is that some still wish to maintain hegemony over Africa and manage its affairs on its behalf,” he said. “When a decision is made by CAF, it is suddenly viewed as a loss of credibility. Why? Why don’t we instead say that CAF has implemented the law and provided fair litigation opportunities to all parties? That is the real question.”
Ali Farhat and Hicham Driouich contributed to this article.
Edited by: Matt Pearson
