During a vituperative and explicit interview on 2STV, Senegalese Football Federation president and erstwhile CAF vice-president Augustin Senghor viciously ranted against what he perceives to be Morocco’s overwhelming hegemony over African football politics.
The outburst occurs after Senghor was dropped from FIFA’s Council following only getting 13 votes out of 53 at the March 12, 2025 polls.
This is not a question of a strongman; it is a question of a nation which has managed to position itself tactically in CAF,” Senghor replied, naming specifically Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.
Senghor views Lekjaa as the mastermind of what he called a “meticulously constructed system of dominance” that is reshaping the balance of power in African football.
Senghor argued that CAF is encouraging a northern bloc—i.e., Egypt, Mauritania, and Morocco—at the expense of others.
“I won’t join up just to earn a place at FIFA or to lead CAF,” he said, reaffirming his reluctance to be a part of what he calls a “logic of subordination.”
He also grumbled about Morocco hosting games from countries whose stadiums were banned, calling it “an ethical dilemma.” Senghor urged reflection and reform:
“Is this truly the equality our founding fathers, Mandela, had envisioned?”
With a passionate plea, he appealed to African leaders to act:
“If we want Africa to be the mistress of its own fate, it must be voiced in our sporting institutions as well.”
Senghor’s revolt paves the way for a broader debate regarding equity, justice, and continent representation in African football’s upper tiers.
