Football authorities in Senegal are reportedly weighing the possibility of withdrawing from future editions of the Africa Cup of Nations following the controversial decision to strip the nation of their 2025 title.
The ruling by the Confederation of African Football saw Senegal’s triumph overturned, with the title instead awarded to the Morocco national football team via a 3-0 forfeiture decision.
CAF’s Appeals Committee determined that Senegal breached tournament regulations after players walked off the pitch during the final in protest of a late penalty decision. The governing body cited violations of its rules, leading to the annulment of the result.
The final itself had originally ended in a 1-0 victory for Senegal, with Pape Gueye scoring the decisive goal after extra time. The controversy stemmed from a penalty awarded to Morocco late in the game, which was missed by Brahim Díaz before play resumed.
Reports suggest that officials from the Senegalese Football Federation view the decision as politically influenced rather than based purely on sporting merit, fuelling anger within the country’s football leadership.
As a result, discussions are ongoing about the possibility of boycotting future AFCON tournaments, a move that would have significant implications for African football.
The fallout has also cast doubt over planned celebrations that were meant to mark Senegal’s success, with uncertainty now surrounding how the situation will unfold in the coming weeks.