By Kazeem Ajibola Shoyebo
Senegal national football team have formally moved to challenge the withdrawal of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title, confirming an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport following a contentious decision by the Confederation of African Football.
The appeal comes after CAF overturned Senegal’s on-field victory and awarded the title to Morocco national football team, citing a breach of regulations during the final.
A member of the Senegalese federation’s executive committee stressed the approach would remain composed:
“We will not act emotionally, but in a very calm and clear-headed manner to best defend Senegal’s interests.”
The controversy stems from the AFCON 2025 final, where Senegal briefly left the pitch in protest of a late penalty decision. Although they returned to complete the match and won after extra time, CAF later ruled the incident a regulatory violation and imposed a 3–0 forfeit, awarding the title to Morocco.
The move to CAS represents Senegal’s final legal avenue. The tribunal will assess whether CAF correctly applied its rules and followed due process.
The outcome could have wider implications for African football governance, particularly regarding the handling of match results and disciplinary decisions.