Senegal anticipates a favorable ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and expects to reclaim the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title by July 2026. This comes after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) ruled in favor of Morocco two weeks prior, declaring a forfeit against Senegalese players for a match last January.
The forfeit stemmed from the Senegalese team’s withdrawal from the pitch for 14 minutes to protest an arbitration decision. Although Senegal initially won the match 1-0, CAF reversed the outcome two months later, following an appeal from Morocco. CAF declared that the players had violated Article 82 by leaving the field without authorization, awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory. Senegal’s defense hinges on the referee’s original decision to allow the match to resume.
Abdoulaye Fall, President of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), condemned the decision as “the most blatant and unprecedented administrative theft in the history of our sport,” affirming that his country “will not bend or compromise its values.”
While Morocco currently holds the official title of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations champion, Senegal intends to keep and display the trophy in France. There, the team is scheduled to play a friendly match against Peru this Saturday evening. The players plan to wear a star on their emblem, undeterred by potential sanctions.