Senegal’s AFCON title strip decision shows CAF’s independence-CAF President
The President of the Confederation of African Football, Patrice Motsepe, has defended the organisation’s decision to strip Senegal of their AFCON title, stating that the outcome demonstrates the independence of CAF’s judicial bodies.
Motsepe made the remarks in response to criticism from stakeholders after the ruling against Senegal.
“The independence is reflected in the decisions taken by the two bodies,” he said, explaining that “the CAF Disciplinary Board reached one decision, while the CAF Appeals Board arrived at a completely different conclusion.”
On Tuesday, March 17, 2026, Confederation of African Football announced that it had upheld Morocco’s appeal to overturn Senegal’s title win from January in what has been described as an unprecedented decision.
According to the Appeals Board, Senegal’s 17-minute walk-off during the final, after Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty, constituted a violation of tournament regulations.
As a result, Morocco were declared champions with a 3–0 scoreline, securing their first title in 50 years.
Senegal has since indicated its intention to challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
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