Senegal’s football authorities have vowed to challenge a controversial decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) that stripped the country of its Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, describing the ruling as “unjust, unprecedented and unacceptable.”
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) said it would file an appeal “as soon as possible” before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne to defend its rights and the interests of Senegalese football.
“The Senegalese Football Federation condemns this unjust, unprecedented and unacceptable decision, which brings African football into disrepute,” the body said in a statement.
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The controversy stems from the AFCON final played in Rabat on January 18, where Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 after extra time. The match, however, was marred by chaos late in regulation time when Senegalese players temporarily walked off the pitch in protest against a penalty awarded to Morocco deep into stoppage time.
Players eventually returned to the field following intervention by captain Sadio Mane. Morocco failed to convert the penalty, with goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saving a poorly executed attempt by Brahim Diaz. Pape Gueye later scored in extra time to secure victory for Senegal.
However, CAF’s Appeals Committee, acting on a protest by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), ruled that Senegal forfeited the match. The governing body awarded a 3-0 victory to Morocco, citing breaches of Articles 82 and 84 of AFCON regulations, which penalise teams that refuse to continue play or leave the field without the referee’s authorisation.
CAF said the decision followed a review of Morocco’s appeal and was based strictly on the application of competition rules.
In response, the Moroccan federation maintained that its appeal was not intended to challenge the sporting outcome but to ensure adherence to established regulations. “The Federation reaffirms its commitment to respecting the rules, to the clarity of the competitive framework, and to the stability of African competitions,” it said.
The final itself was highly contentious. Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded the decisive penalty after a VAR review for a challenge involving Senegal defender El Hadji Malick Diouf. The decision triggered protests from Senegal’s players and a near 20-minute disruption, compounded by attempted pitch invasions by some supporters.
Following the ruling, several Senegalese players took to social media to express their frustration. Defender Moussa Niakhate posted an image of himself lifting the trophy with a defiant caption.
In the aftermath of the final, FIFA president Gianni Infantino had already condemned the conduct of some Senegalese players, describing the walk-off as “unacceptable.”
CAF had earlier imposed fines running into hundreds of thousands of euros on both federations for unsportsmanlike conduct and breaches of fair play rules.
Meanwhile, legal proceedings involving 18 Senegalese supporters arrested after the match and convicted of hooliganism have been adjourned until March 30.
With the appeal now heading to CAS, the final outcome of the AFCON title dispute remains uncertain.
