Senegal have refused to hand back their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy following the unprecedented decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to strip them of their 2025 title.
On March 17, 2026, CAF announced that Morocco had been awarded a 3-0 victory by forfeit, overturning Senegal’s 1-0 win from the final played 58 days ago.
The final itself was highly controversial. Senegal walked off the pitch in protest after a last-minute penalty was awarded to Morocco, returning only after 17 minutes of chaos.
Despite returning, Senegal had already saved the penalty and scored in extra time through Pape Gueye, seemingly securing their second AFCON title in five years.
Following the CAF ruling, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) condemned the decision, calling it “unjust, unprecedented, and unacceptable” and claiming it discredits African football.
The FSF announced that they would appeal the ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, insisting the trophy would not leave Senegal.
FSF Secretary-General Abdoulaye Sow stated: “The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is corrupt, and the reactions worldwide following this decision confirm total outrage… The cup will not leave the country.”
Senegal’s players reacted defiantly on social media. Everton’s Idrissa Gana Gueye emphasized that titles and trophies are fleeting and what matters is the pride and dignity of the supporters.
West Ham’s El Hadji Malick Diouf posted: “The trophy is won on the pitch, not by email. Goodnight.”
Other players, including Pathe Ciss, shared photos of the team lifting the trophy, showing their refusal to accept CAF’s decision.
The CAF ruling followed an official complaint by the Moroccan Football Federation after the final, claiming Senegal had violated Article 82 of the tournament regulations by leaving the field without referee authorization.
CAF confirmed that Morocco’s appeal was “admissible and upheld,” applying a 3-0 forfeit per Article 84, while also issuing fines and sanctions related to the match, including VAR interference and behavior of match officials.
Morocco’s appeal also resulted in partial dismissals of fines for their players and reductions for certain infractions, highlighting the complex and unprecedented nature of the ruling.
In a statement, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation emphasized that the appeal was never meant to challenge sporting performance, but rather to ensure the application of competition rules.
The Federation reaffirmed its commitment to respecting tournament regulations, maintaining clarity in the competitive framework, and promoting stability within African football competitions.
