AFCON: Senegal reacts to CAF verdict, drags Morocco title to court

African football is on the edge of a full-blown crisis after Senegalese Football Federation rejected CAF’s shocking decision to hand the 2025 AFCON title to Morocco  and vowed to take the battle to court.

In a dramatic twist that has stunned fans across the continent, the Confederation of African Football Appeals Board on Tuesday overturned the original result of the final and declared Morocco winners, awarding them a 3–0 victory over Senegal.

CAF ruled that Senegal forfeited the match after their players walked off the pitch during chaotic scenes in the final held in Rabat on January 19.

The controversy erupted late in the game after a Senegal goal was disallowed and a penalty awarded to Morocco — decisions that triggered protests from Senegal players, who briefly abandoned the pitch.

But in a statement on Wednesday, the Senegalese FA tore into the verdict, calling it “unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable,” warning that it risks damaging the credibility of African football.

The federation confirmed it will now escalate the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.

According to Senegal, CAF’s Appeals Board overturned an earlier ruling by its Disciplinary Committee due to a procedural flaw, claiming Morocco was not properly heard in the initial case.

However, the Appeals Board still concluded that Senegal’s conduct violated key competition rules, specifically Articles 82 and 84, leading to the forfeiture and automatic 3–0 award in Morocco’s favour.

Despite that, Senegal are not backing down.

They insist the ruling is a dangerous precedent and say they are ready to fight to the very end to reclaim what they believe is rightfully theirs.

With the case now heading to sport’s highest court, what should have been a historic AFCON triumph has turned into one of the most explosive legal battles African football has ever seen.