The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeals Panel has officially rejected the Guinean Football Federation’s appeal concerning an administrative dispute with Tanzania, bringing a fresh chapter to the ongoing controversy surrounding the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The verdict, announced by the Guinean Football Federation (Féguifoot) in a public statement, confirms that the appeal filed against the CAF Disciplinary Committee’s initial decision has been denied.
The case stems from the final matchday of the 2025 CAN qualifiers held on 19 November 2024, in which Guinea contested the eligibility of a Tanzanian player.
“Féguifoot has taken note of the decision rendered today by the Appeals Jury of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), rejecting the appeal filed against the decision of the Disciplinary Jury in the dispute between it and Tanzania,” the federation’s statement read.
The initial complaint alleged administrative misconduct by Tanzania, centered on the alleged irregular use of a player during the crucial qualifier.
However, the CAF Disciplinary Committee dismissed the claims, prompting Guinea to escalate the matter to CAF’s Appeals Panel. That appeal has now also been turned down.
Despite the dismissal, Féguifoot has raised serious concerns over the fairness and transparency of the appellate process.
In its statement, the federation pointed to what it describes as procedural violations that it believes compromised its ability to defend its case adequately.
“In particular, it was deprived of its right to full access to the file, prevented from requesting the production of essential evidence, and excluded from major procedural exchanges,” the federation alleged.
It further described these actions as “a violation of the fundamental principles of adversarial proceedings and the right to be heard.”
Guinea’s football authorities have made it clear that they are not prepared to let the matter rest. The federation has vowed to continue its pursuit of justice, indicating plans to bring the case before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the highest judicial authority in international sport.
“The Guinean Football Federation reaffirms its conviction as to the merits of its complaint and announces that it intends to bring the case before the Court of Arbitration for Sport,” the statement continued.
The case adds a layer of legal complexity to what has already been an intense qualification campaign for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. With stakes high for both national teams, administrative disputes such as this have the potential to shift competitive dynamics on and off the pitch.
CAF has yet to issue its own public response to Guinea’s criticism of the appeals process or the federation’s intention to seek further legal recourse.
As it stands, Tanzania’s qualification status remains unaffected by the proceedings, and they are expected to proceed as scheduled in the lead-up to CAN 2025. Guinea, meanwhile, is bracing for a protracted legal battle that could stretch well beyond the qualifying campaign.
The eyes of African football now turn to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, where Guinea hopes to overturn the decisions made by CAF’s disciplinary bodies.
