- Senegal Can Challenge AFCON 2025 Title Reversal – CAF President
- Motsepe admits ruling damaged trust and credibility in African football
- CAF promises fairness as reforms target governance and officiating concerns
The President of the Confederation of African Football, Patrice Motsepe, has said Senegal has the right to challenge the controversial decision that stripped it of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title, insisting that no country would receive preferential treatment.
EDITOR’S PICKS
- Governor Ahmadu Fintiri Defects To APC As Atiku’s Son Refuses To Dump PDP
- Should Governors Have To Join Ruling Party for ‘Greater Federal Support’?
- FEDSA National Pays Courtesy Visit to Lekki LCDA Chairman, Applauds Free JAMB Initiative
EKO HOT BLOG reports that Motsepe stated this in a video interview published by CAF on Wednesday while addressing the fallout from the disputed final between Senegal national football team and Morocco national football team.
CAF had overturned the result of the 2025 final, stripping Senegal of victory and awarding a 3-0 win to Morocco after upholding an appeal by the Moroccan football federation. The ruling followed findings that Senegal breached Article 82 of CAF regulations during the match.
The decision has sparked widespread reactions across Africa, with calls for transparency and indications that Senegal may approach the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Motsepe confirmed that Senegal is preparing to appeal the ruling, stressing that all member nations have the right to seek justice through established channels.
“And I’m told that Senegal is going to appeal, which is very important,” he said.
“Every one of the 54 nations in Africa has a right to pursue their appeals and their advanced interests, not only at the highest level in Africa, in CAF, but also the highest body, which is the Court of Arbitration for Sport. And we will adhere and respect the decision that’s taken at the highest level.”
He admitted that the controversy had affected confidence in African football, describing it as damaging to the sport’s integrity.
“I’ve been informed of the ruling by the CAF Appeals Board concerning the appeal by Morocco relating to the AFCON-Morocco 2025 final match, and I previously expressed my extreme disappointment with the incidents that took place at the final match,” he said.
Motsepe said the development raised concerns about governance and credibility.
“The important thing of what happened in that final match is it undermines the good work that CAF has done over many years to ensure that there’s integrity, that there’s respect, that there’s ethics, that there’s governance, as well as credibility of the results of our football matches,” he added.
He described the situation as part of a long-standing trust issue in African football.
“The occurrences, the incidence at the final match of the AFCON-Morocco exposers, is the work that we are still dealing with concerning the suspicion and distrust. It’s a legacy issue,” he said.
Motsepe noted that concerns about officiating and governance predated the 2025 final, adding that CAF had introduced reforms, including a new process for selecting judicial officials.
“We, in choosing the members of our judicial bodies, we followed a different path… We invited each member association, and we invited every zone to give us names of respected judges and respected lawyers,” he said.
Reaffirming CAF’s position, Motsepe said fairness remains central to its operations.
“A critical factor is that not a single country in Africa will be treated in a manner that is more preferential or more advantageous or more favourable than any other country on the African continent,” he said.
He added that internal reviews had begun to address issues raised by the final and restore confidence in CAF decisions.
“It is important for us that ordinary football supporters… regard the decisions of our judicial bodies as fair, with integrity and impartiality,” he said.
