Afcon 2025 title dispute: Caf chief says only CAS can decide Morocco–Senegal final row

The president of the Confederation of African Football (Caf), Patrice Motsepe, says the organisation’s hands are tied over the disputed 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title – insisting only the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) can settle the bitter row between Morocco and Senegal.

Speaking at a press conference in Johannesburg on Wednesday, Motsepe stressed that Caf will not take any further action until sport’s highest court delivers its final ruling on who should officially be crowned African champions.

‘Nothing we can do’ – Motsepe

Motsepe said Caf is effectively in a holding pattern while the Lausanne-based tribunal considers Senegal’s appeal against a controversial administrative decision which awarded the Afcon title to Morocco.

He told reporters: “Caf” is waiting for the final decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport ‘Cas’ regarding the identity of the Africa Cup of Nations champion, confirming that the confederation cannot take any action before the ruling is issued.

He added: “We are waiting for the final decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport regarding the winner of the Africa Cup of Nations title. There is nothing in our hands to do, we are waiting for the decisions and we will apply them to everyone.”

His comments underline that the fate of one of African football’s most coveted trophies now rests entirely with CAS, rather than with Caf’s own judicial bodies.

How Morocco were handed the title

The case before CAS stems from a chaotic conclusion to the Afcon 2025 final between Morocco and Senegal.

In March, Caf’s Appeals Committee overturned an initial first-instance ruling and awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory by forfeit, effectively handing them the title on a regulatory basis rather than on the pitch.

That decision followed an extraordinary incident in extra time of the final, when Senegal’s “Teranga Lions” players temporarily left the field in protest at a penalty awarded to Morocco. The appeals body judged that the walk-off constituted a withdrawal, leading to the 3-0 result being recorded in favour of the North African side.

The ruling immediately sparked outrage in Dakar, where the Senegalese Football Federation denounced the outcome as unjust and vowed to challenge it through all available legal avenues.

Senegal take battle to CAS

The Senegalese federation subsequently lodged a formal appeal with CAS, arguing that the punishment was disproportionate and that the circumstances of the players’ brief exit from the pitch did not amount to an outright refusal to continue the match.

By elevating the case to CAS, Senegal forced the dispute beyond Caf’s internal structures and into the jurisdiction of the independent international tribunal, whose verdict will be binding on all parties.

Motsepe’s remarks confirm that Caf now regards itself as a bystander in the process, obliged to implement whatever CAS decides – whether that means upholding Morocco’s 3-0 administrative win, ordering a replay, or imposing another remedy.

Continental game left in limbo

Across African football, anticipation is building as stakeholders await clarity on the official record of the continent’s flagship competition.

The outcome will not only determine whether Morocco can celebrate an Afcon crown or whether Senegal will retain or reclaim the title, but may also set a precedent on how Caf deals with future matches disrupted by protests, walk-offs or disputes over refereeing decisions.

Until CAS issues its judgment, the 2025 Afcon title remains clouded in uncertainty – an unprecedented situation for a tournament that has long been the pinnacle of African national-team football.