AFCON 2025: Senegal appeal ruling that declared Morocco champs

The Senegalese Football Federation has officially announced that they will appeal CAF Appeal Board’s decision to strip their national team of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title.

Morocco had protested Senegal’s 1-0 over them on grounds that the team violated AFCON regulations by temporarily leaving the pitch.

A number Senegal players did leave the pitch as they were unhappy with the referee’s decision to award a penalty to Morocco in the final.

However, they returned to the pitch and allowed Morocco to take the said penalty which was saved by Edouard Mendy.

Now, following CAF’s dismissal of Morocco’s case, the matter was taken to the CAF Appeal Board.

And on Tuesday, the CAF Appeal Board ruled that Senegal violated Article 82 and 84 of the competition rules, and stripped them of the AFCON title.

But Senegal will not back down, and they have announced their decision to approach Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

AFCON 2025: SENEGAL APPROACH CAS OVER CAF’S LATEST RULING

“The Senegalese Football Federation denounces this unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision, which casts a shadow over African football,” said SFF in a statement.

“To defend its rights and the interests of ⁠Senegalese football, the federation will initiate an appeal as soon as possible before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.”

WHAT ARE SENEGAL’S CHANCES?

Senegal may fancy their chances of winning this appeal with CAS given almost similar cases the arbitration previously handled.

In 2019, Wydad Athletic Club walked off the pitch against Esperance in the CAF Champions League final, and never finished the game.

Esperance were then declared winners, but CAF ordered a replay in a ruling that initially favoured Wydad.

Nonetheless, that ruling was thrown out of the window by CAS after Esperance appealed their case with them.