Senegal FA to Appeal CAF Decision, Insists 2025 AFCON Title Is “Non-Negotiable”

The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has launched a strong challenge against a recent ruling by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), insisting that Senegal remain the rightful winners of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Speaking at a press conference held at the Noom Hotel on Tuesday morning, FSF officials publicly rejected the decision handed down by CAF’s Appeals Jury on March 17, describing it as unjust and unacceptable.

FSF president Abdoulaye Fall made the federation’s stance clear, declaring that Senegal would not back down in the face of what it sees as a wrongful ruling.

“Senegal will stand firm,” Fall said, reiterating that the national team are the “one and only true winners” of the 2025 AFCON title, an achievement he stressed was earned on the pitch.

The Jan. 18 final in Rabat was marked by drama and high tension. Senegal players walked off the pitch for 15 minutes in stoppage time in protest after Morocco was awarded a decisive penalty, during which fans attempted to storm the field. When play resumed, Morocco’s Brahim Díaz took a “Panenka” penalty, only to see it saved by Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy. Senegal had previously had a goal disallowed minutes earlier for a foul on Achraf Hakimi, despite replays showing minimal contact. Ultimately, Senegal scored the only goal in extra time to secure the victory, with the team’s return to the pitch reportedly influenced by veteran Sadio Mané urging his teammates to finish the game.

In response to CAF’s ruling, the FSF confirmed it has appointed a team of legal experts to escalate the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne. The legal team has been instructed to urgently challenge CAF’s decision and seek its annulment through the independent tribunal.

The federation stated it is prepared to exhaust all available legal, institutional, and judicial avenues to defend its position and restore what it described as sporting integrity.

Beyond the dispute over the tournament outcome, the FSF also raised concerns about the ongoing detention of Senegalese supporters, who it says have been held for two months. The federation labelled the situation as unjustified repression and confirmed that its legal representatives are actively working to secure their release as quickly as possible.

The escalating dispute sets the stage for a potentially significant legal battle in international sport, with the outcome likely to have major implications for African football governance and the final status of the 2025 AFCON title.

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