Angry reactions have continued to trail the Confederation of African Football (CAF) decision announcing the Atlas Lions of Morocco as the winners of the 2025 AFCON, which concluded in the North African country on Sunday, January 18, 2026.
The Teranga Lions of Senegal emerged as the winners of the tournament in January after the two teams tied 0-0 at the end of 90 minutes, with Pape Gueye’s screamer in added time handed the Sadio Mane-inspired team the second AFCON title in four years.
However, a nine-man CAF Appeal team, headed by Justice Roli Daibo Hamman, on Tuesday, took the decision to strip Senegal of the 2025 AFCON title and handed it over to Morocco in what the football world referred to as boardroom politics and points which should have gone into the archives.
The Senegalese government has vowed to take the case to the Court of Arbitration (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, calling for an “independent international investigation” into “suspected corruption” at African football’s governing body.
Expressing its anger, the Senegalese government said it took what it called “an unprecedented and exceptionally serious decision” because of “a manifestly erroneous interpretation of the regulations, leading to a grossly illegal and deeply unjust decision” calling it “an unjustified attempt at dispossession” saying the fight is not yet over.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) had equally not been found wanting, as it announced the decision to take the case to CAS as well.
A statement by FSF secretary general, Abdoulaye Seydou, according to the BBC, described CAF’s decision as “an unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable decision which brings discredit to African football. This decision is a breach of trust that is not based on any rule of law.
“We felt that the jury wasn’t there to uphold the law, but to carry out an order. We will stop at nothing. The law is on our side. The fight is far from over. Senegal will defend its rights to the very end.”
The team’s talisman, Mane, also on his Instagram page, was quoted to have reacted thus: “What happened has gone too far. This is not the football we fight for, not the Africa we believe in. There is too much corruption in our game, and it’s killing the passion of millions of fans across the continent.
“Players give everything on the pitch, but decisions off it are deciding matches and trophies. I’m deeply disappointed not just for Senegal, but for African football as a whole. We deserve better. The fans deserve fairness, transparency and respect.”
Also, a former French player who featured for Arsenal and Manchester City in the English Premier League (EPL), Samir Nasir, described the decision as a setback for African football when he said, “Next time, they might as well announce it in 2035 too. This is nonsense.
“The Senegal players have already went home with the trophy to celebrate! So what do we do now? Give the trophy to Morocco? Confederation of African Football is making a complete fool of itself!”
A Nigerian wrestling coach and administrator who simply referred to himself as Kingjudek said the pronouncement was the worst decision he has experienced in his sports life. He said on a WhatsApp platform, “This is a daylight injustice. The decision of FIFA to re-award the AFCON gold medal against the real winner, Senegal, is the worst decision I have ever experienced in the history of my life in sports.
“This is a deliberate, calculated, prearranged and concise attempt to make sure the plans are well hashed and accomplished to crown Morocco the Afcon champion. The worst would have been a replay. I can never be convinced to accept any wicked justification. This is BIASED. In my entire 50-year career in sports, generally as a wrestler, coach and administrator, this decision is the most suicidal I have ever witnessed.”
Some soccer pundits have unearthed the IFAB Law 5 applied by CAF, which states that referee decisions are final. The law states explicitly:
“The decision of the referee regarding facts connected with play, including whether or not a goal is scored and the result of the match, are final” meaning that once the referee ends the match, the score and winner declared on the field cannot be changed due to referee mistakes (wrong penalties, missed fouls, VAR interpretations etc).
The world awaits with bated breath how things will go as there seem to be interesting days ahead.
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