Senegal have been stripped of the AFCON title following an appeals board evaluate by CAF right into a mid-final protest by its gamers.
Revealed On 18 Mar 2026
Senegal’s authorities has known as for an “unbiased worldwide investigation” into corruption following the choice by the Confederation of African Soccer (CAF) to strip the nation of its Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title and award it to Morocco.
CAF’s decision got here following a evaluate through their appeals board right into a chaotic ultimate two months in the past.
Advisable Tales
listing of 4 objectsfinish of listing
The ruling stated that Senegal is “declared to have forfeited” the ultimate, a 1-0 victory after further time, by leaving the sector of play throughout regular time in a 14-minute protest on the awarding of a penalty to Morocco – which they missed when play resumed.
The end result, it stated, was now “being formally recorded as 3-0” in favour of host nation Morocco.
“By calling into query a end result achieved on the finish of a match that was correctly performed and received in accordance with the principles of the sport, the CAF critically undermines its personal credibility,” Senegal’s authorities spokeswoman Marie Rose Khady Fatou Faye stated in an announcement on Wednesday.
“Senegal unequivocally rejects this unjustified try at dispossession,” she stated whereas calling for “an unbiased worldwide investigation into suspected corruption throughout the CAF’s governing our bodies”.
CAF didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark by the information company Reuters.
Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko beforehand weighed in on the fallout from the ultimate when he adopted his nation’s soccer federation in denouncing Morocco’s jailing of 18 Senegalese followers following violence throughout a pitch invasion in the course of the participant protest within the January 18 ultimate in Rabat.
Of February’s sentencing, which spanned from three months to a 12 months and included fines, he instructed the Senegalese parliament: “It appears this matter goes past the realm of sport and that’s regrettable.
“For 2 international locations that decision one another buddies, like Morocco and Senegal, issues shouldn’t have gone this far.”
The Senegal Soccer Federation (FSF) stated on Wednesday that it’s going to enchantment CAF’s ruling on the Courtroom of Arbitration for Sport.
“The Senegalese Soccer Federation denounces this unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable resolution, which casts a shadow over African soccer,” it stated in an announcement.
“To defend its rights and the pursuits of Senegalese soccer, the federation will provoke an enchantment as quickly as doable earlier than the Courtroom of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.”
Such a problem can take so long as a 12 months for the courtroom to rule on.
