Senegal were stripped of the AFCON title following a mid-final protest by the team’s players following an appeals committee review by CAF.
Published March 18, 2026
Senegal’s government has called for an “independent international investigation” into corruption following the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to strip the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) title and award it to Morocco.
CAF’s decision came after an appeals committee review of the chaotic final two months ago.
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The ruling said the final, which Senegal won 1-0 in extra time, was “declared a forfeiture” after Senegal left the field in regular time to protest a 14-minute penalty awarded to Morocco, which Senegal missed when play resumed.
The result was in favor of hosts Morocco, “officially recorded as 3-0,” the magazine said.
“By questioning the result obtained at the end of a match that was won and properly played according to the rules of the game, CAF seriously undermines its own credibility,” Senegalese government spokeswoman Marie-Rose Kadi Fatou Fay said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Senegal unequivocally rejects this attempt at unwarranted deprivation,” he said, while calling for an “independent international investigation into the allegations of corruption within the CAF’s governing body.”
CAF did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has previously spoken out about the aftermath of the final, following his country’s football federation in condemning Morocco’s jailing of 18 Senegalese fans following violence during a pitch invasion during player protests during the final in Rabat on January 18.
Regarding the February sentence, which ranged from three months to one year and included a fine, he told the Senegalese parliament: “It’s unfortunate that this issue seems to go beyond the realm of sports.
“For two countries that call each other friends, like Morocco and Senegal, things should not have gone this far.”
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) announced on Wednesday that it will appeal against CAF’s ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“The Senegalese Football Federation condemns this unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable decision that casts a shadow on African football,” it said in a statement.
“In order to protect the rights and interests of Senegalese football, the federation will launch an appeal as soon as possible to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.”
Such challenges can take as long as a year for the courts to decide.
