Patrice Motsepe, the President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has pledged to honor any verdict delivered by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding the controversial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations championship.
This commitment was made during his visit to Senegal on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, marking a diplomatic effort to address the fallout from CAF’s decision to strip the Teranga Lions of their victory and award the title to Morocco.
The dispute stems from the tournament final held in January, where Senegal initially won 1-0 on the pitch. However, on March 17, CAF’s Appeals Committee overturned the result, awarding Morocco a 3-0 walkover victory.
The ruling was based on allegations that the Senegalese squad abandoned the field in protest during the match. This move prompted an immediate appeal from the Senegalese Football Federation and a call for a corruption investigation by the Senegalese government.
During his meetings in Dakar with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and local football authorities, Motsepe emphasized that the legal resolution is now in the hands of CAS. He stated that CAF would fully implement the court’s final decision, regardless of the outcome.
Motsepe framed his visit as a “peace mission” intended to foster unity within African football, moving past the friction to focus on the continent’s long-term development.
He is scheduled to continue this diplomatic tour with a visit to Morocco on Thursday, April 9, to deliver a similar message of cooperation and legal compliance.
