Defiant Senegal to parade AFCON trophy today despite CAF ruling

Senegal will press ahead with plans to parade the Africa Cup of Nations trophy in Paris on Saturday, in a bold show of defiance after being stripped of the 2025 title by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The planned celebration will take place before their international friendly against Peru at the Stade de France, as the West African nation continues to challenge a decision that has plunged African football into one of its most contentious disputes in recent history.

Despite CAF awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory on appeal following January’s chaotic final, Senegal insist they remain the rightful champions and have vowed to fight the ruling through every available channel.

“Faced with what amounts to the most blatant and unprecedented administrative robbery in the history of our sport, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) refuses to accept this as inevitable,” FSF president Abdoulaye Fall said in Paris.

“Senegal will not bend the knee and will not compromise its values,” he added. “Our fight now transcends the football pitch.”

From celebration to controversy

Senegal had originally secured their second AFCON crown on 18 January after defeating hosts Morocco 1-0 in extra time, with Pape Gueye scoring the decisive goal.

However, the final descended into controversy when Senegal players walked off the pitch late in the match after Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty while the game was still goalless.

Morocco’s Brahim Diaz missed the spot-kick, but the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) subsequently lodged a complaint, arguing that Senegal’s actions disrupted the match and affected the outcome.

CAF’s disciplinary committee initially rejected the protest, instead sanctioning both teams. But following an appeal by Morocco, CAF’s appeals board ruled that Senegal had breached competition regulations by leaving the field without authorisation.

Citing Articles 82 and 84, the board awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory, effectively overturning the result and stripping Senegal of the title.

Legal battle escalates

Senegal have since taken their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which has confirmed receipt of the appeal and pledged to issue a ruling “as swiftly as possible”.

The FSF has assembled a legal team to contest the decision, framing the case as a matter that goes beyond football.

“To wage this moral and legal crusade, we have appointed a team of seasoned professionals with undeniable expertise,” Fall said.

Lawyer Seydou Diagne described the ruling as “so blatant, so absurd, so irrational”.

“The decision of the appeals jury cannot even be considered a true decision of sporting justice,” he added. “It is an unacceptable and intolerable attack on the fundamental rights of our national Football Federation.”

Another member of the legal team, Juan Perez, warned of the wider implications.

“A match that was over, whose result had been decided by the referee, now being re-refereed, administratively – that’s unprecedented. You haven’t seen anything like it. It could change the world of football.”

Political and football tensions rise

The fallout has extended beyond the pitch, with Senegal’s government calling for an investigation into what it described as “suspected corruption” within CAF — an allegation strongly rejected by the organisation.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe has emphasised the independence of the appeals process, stating that decisions must be respected.

“It is important that the decisions of our Caf disciplinary board and the Caf appeals board are viewed with respect and integrity,” he said.

Meanwhile, CAF briefly updated its official records to list Morocco as champions before removing the page, further fuelling uncertainty around the status of the title.

Symbolic show of resistance

Saturday’s planned trophy parade represents Senegal’s most visible act of resistance yet, with the federation inviting fans to join players in a display of unity ahead of the Peru friendly.

The move underlines Senegal’s refusal to accept CAF’s decision while awaiting the final verdict from CAS, sport’s highest judicial authority.

With the trophy still in Senegal’s possession and legal proceedings ongoing, the question of who are the rightful African champions remains unresolved.

For now, Senegal are choosing to fight both on and off the pitch — and in Paris, they will celebrate a title they insist is still theirs.

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