Senegal to Appeal AFCON Title Decision After CAF Awards Trophy to Morocco

• Senegalese Football Federation will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after losing the Africa Cup of Nations title.
• Confederation of African Football awarded a 3-0 victory to Morocco national football team after ruling Senegal forfeited the final.
• Senegal officials and players strongly criticised the decision, calling it unjust and unprecedented.

The Senegalese Football Federation has confirmed it will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after being stripped of the Africa Cup of Nations title.

The Confederation of African Football announced the decision to overturn the final result and award Morocco a 3-0 win, ruling that Senegal forfeited the match after leaving the field in protest during stoppage time.

In a statement, the Senegal federation described the ruling as “iniquitous, unprecedented and unacceptable,” adding that it had brought discredit to African football.

“For the defence of the rights and interests of Senegalese football, the federation will engage an appeal procedure before the Court of Arbitration for Sport,” the statement said.

Federation secretary general Abdoulaye Seydou Sow said the organisation would continue to challenge the decision.

“We will not back down. The law is on our side,” he said.

The Senegalese government also backed the federation, rejecting the decision and calling for an independent investigation into CAF.

“Senegal will not tolerate an administrative decision erasing commitment, merit and sporting excellence,” the government said in a statement.

The controversy stems from the final, when Senegal players left the field in protest after a stoppage-time penalty was awarded to Morocco with the match goalless.

Following a delay, the game resumed, with Brahim Díaz seeing his penalty saved by Édouard Mendy before Pape Gueye scored an extra-time winner.

However, CAF’s appeal board ruled that Senegal’s actions breached competition regulations, leading to the result being overturned.

Morocco welcomed the decision, with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation stating that it upheld the application of tournament rules.

Senegal players reacted angrily on social media, with Sadio Mané posting that “the world knows the true champions.”