CAF President set to address continent after stripping Senegal of AFCON title in favour of Morocco

Patrice Motsepe is expected to address African football later today following the controversial decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to strip Senegal of their AFCON 2025 title and award it to Morocco.

The ruling has sparked outrage across the continent, with legal battles and political reactions already intensifying.

The CAF Appeal Board overturned an earlier decision by its Disciplinary Committee, which had initially cleared Senegal. Crucially, the appeal succeeded on procedural grounds, as the board found that Morocco’s right to be heard was not properly respected during the initial proceedings.

This technical flaw allowed the case to be reopened and ultimately led to Senegal being penalised under Articles 82 and 84 of AFCON regulations.

CAF ruled that Senegal’s 15-minute walk-off protest during the final constituted a breach serious enough to warrant forfeiture of the match.

As a result, Morocco were retroactively awarded a 3-0 victory, overturning Senegal’s 1-0 extra-time win in Rabat, where Pape Gueye had scored a dramatic late winner.

The fallout has been swift and fierce, with the Senegalese government strongly condemning the decision. Government spokesperson Marie Rose Khady Fatou Faye described the ruling as “grossly illegal and profoundly unjust,” accusing CAF of undermining sporting integrity.

In a strongly worded statement, Senegal called for an independent international investigation into alleged corruption within CAF and vowed to challenge the decision through all legal channels, including the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Legal experts suggest Senegal could argue that the flawed initial disciplinary process invalidates the Appeal Board’s ruling.

As tensions rise, Motsepe’s upcoming statement is expected to address the controversy and attempt to restore confidence in African football’s governing structures.