The Senegalese Football Federation has announced it will challenge the decision that stripped the country of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title, declaring the ruling unfair and damaging to African football.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, March 18, the federation said it would file an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne as quickly as possible.
The move comes a day after the CAF Appeals Board handed Morocco the AFCON title by declaring that Senegal had forfeited the final.
The nine-member panel, headed by Nigerian judge Roli Daibo Harriman, ruled that Senegal violated Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations when several players walked off the pitch and returned to their dressing room in protest of a referee’s decision during the final.
The Appeals Board’s verdict overturned an earlier decision by CAF’s Disciplinary Committee, which had dismissed Morocco’s initial request to have the match result changed.
The Senegalese federation was unsparing in its criticism of the ruling.
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“The Senegalese Football Federation denounces this unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision, which discredits African football,” the statement reads.
“To defend its rights and the interests of Senegalese football, the federation will initiate an appeal as soon as possible before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.
“The FSF reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the values of integrity and sporting justice and will keep the public informed of developments in this matter,” it stated.
The dispute has become one of the most contentious episodes in African football history.
The AFCON final was marred by chaotic scenes after Senegalese players staged a walkout over officiating decisions they considered unjust, plunging the tournament’s biggest match into unprecedented controversy.
With the matter now heading to CAS, the question of who truly holds the 2025 AFCON title remains unresolved, prolonging a saga that has divided football fans across the continent.