Patrice Motsepe, President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has confirmed that Senegal retains the right to appeal the controversial decision that stripped the team of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, while stressing that no nation would be given preferential treatment in CAF’s governance.
Motsepe made the remarks during a video interview released by CAF on Wednesday, amid continuing debate over the disputed final between Senegal and Morocco.
“And I’m told that Senegal is going to appeal, which is very important,” he said.
“Every one of the 54 nations in Africa has the right to pursue appeals at CAF and, if necessary, at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
”We will respect the decision taken at the highest level.”
The CAF President acknowledged that the controversy surrounding the final had damaged confidence in African football.
“I previously expressed extreme disappointment with the incidents that took place at the final match.
”What happened undermines the work CAF has done over many years to ensure integrity, ethics, governance, and credibility of our matches,” he explained.
He described the ruling as part of broader, longstanding concerns about officiating and governance within African football.
“These occurrences at the final match are part of ongoing issues concerning suspicion and distrust, a legacy issue we inherited.
”While we have made progress in referee independence and match oversight, perceptions of unfairness persist,” Motsepe said.
Motsepe emphasised that the independence of CAF’s judicial bodies had come under renewed scrutiny, prompting reforms under his leadership.
“In appointing members of our judicial bodies, we adopted a different approach.
”Each CAF member association and zone submitted names of respected judges and lawyers, ensuring credibility and impartiality in our boards’ decisions,” he stated.
“Crucially, no country in Africa will be treated preferentially or more favorably than another,” Motsepe reiterated, emphasising that fairness is central to CAF’s reforms.
He added that the organisation has initiated internal reviews following the final, with public trust remaining a key measure of legitimacy.
AFCON 2025 Title Controversy
CAF overturned the original outcome of the AFCON 2025 final, awarding a 3–0 victory to Morocco after upholding an appeal by the Moroccan Football Federation.
Senegal had initially won the match 1–0 on 18 January 2026, thanks to an extra-time goal by Pape Gueye.
The match became contentious after Senegalese players staged a 15–20 minute walk-off in protest of a penalty awarded to Morocco.
CAF ruled that the walk-off violated Article 82 of its regulations, leading to the reversal of the result.
The decision has sparked significant debate across the continent, with the Senegalese Football Federation expected to formally challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
