CAF will respect CAS ruling, says Motsepe amid AFCON final row

CAF president Patrice Motsepe says African football’s governing body will fully respect the outcome of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the ongoing dispute over the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final.

Speaking after a CAF Executive Committee meeting in Cairo, Motsepe struck a conciliatory tone, urging unity while acknowledging shortcomings in refereeing across the continent.

Senegal has filed a protest with CAS after the Appeal Board of CAF stripped the Teranga Lions of the 2025 AFCON title and handed it to Morocco even though the former won the title during regulations

“The Court of Arbitration for Sport will look into this matter. We will respect its decision, and we have nothing further to add on this issue,” he said.

His comments come amid continued fallout from the controversial final between Senegal and Morocco, which has sparked debate over officiating standards and governance within African football.

Admission of refereeing concerns

In a rare and candid admission, Motsepe acknowledged that bias among referees has affected African football in the past.

“African football has suffered from bias on the part of some referees, and this phenomenon cannot be denied,” he said.

Despite this, he was quick to defend the overall quality of officiating on the continent.

“African referees are among the best in the world. They need training, and they need rewarding salaries,” he added.

CAF, he said, is working closely with FIFA to improve the standard of refereeing through education and professional development programmes.

“There is a partnership between us and FIFA to train referees in Africa, and we are working to impose a professional character on the work of African referees,” Motsepe explained.

Focus on reform and accountability

Motsepe emphasised that CAF is taking responsibility for addressing these issues, with reforms already underway to ensure greater consistency and integrity in officiating.

“We must take responsibility. I am confident of our success,” he said.

The reforms are part of a broader effort by CAF to strengthen trust in referees, video technology operators and match officials, particularly after the controversy surrounding the AFCON final.

Motsepe also indicated that new regulations would help prevent similar incidents in the future.

“The new laws will ensure that what happened is not repeated,” he said.

Message of unity to Senegal

Beyond governance and officiating, Motsepe sought to ease tensions between nations following the dispute.

Addressing Senegal directly, he called for solidarity across the continent.

“We are with you, we support you. We are all Africans,” he said.

“I have sent the same message to the Moroccans. Many Senegalese live in Morocco. We will not use football to sow discord among people, but to unite them.”

He added that he plans to visit Senegal in the coming weeks as part of efforts to rebuild trust and strengthen relations.

Looking ahead

With the CAS ruling still pending, CAF faces a critical moment in its efforts to restore confidence in its governance and officiating structures.

For Motsepe, the immediate priority is clear: respect the legal process, address past shortcomings and ensure African football moves forward together.

“We must move forward,” he said. “We must continue working on developing football.”