The Senegalese Football Federation announced on Thursday that it has instructed its lawyers to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after the national team was stripped of the Africa Cup of Nations title.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) annulled Senegal’s victory on Tuesday and awarded the title to Morocco two months after the final.
“Senegal will remain standing and will legitimately defend this victory on the field, which we achieved on the field with the talent of our players,” federation president Abdoulaye Fall said at a news conference.
“We have given a mandate to our lawyers to pursue these proceedings at the level of the Court of Arbitration for Sport,” he added.
The continent’s showpiece football final in Rabat on January 18 descended into chaos when several Senegalese players left the pitch in protest after the hosts were awarded a penalty late in second-half stoppage time.
Senegal’s players were lured back onto the field by captain Sadio Mane, but Morocco missed the penalty. Pape Gueye then scored the goal in extra time, giving Senegal a 1–0 win.
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CAF said that after reviewing a call from Morocco, “the Senegal national team forfeited the match” and the result was “officially recorded as 3-0” in favor of Morocco.
When asked what would happen to the trophy in the meantime, Fall told reporters that the team would “comply with the legal and regulatory provisions of CAF”.
The revocation of the victory provoked a strong reaction from fans in Senegal, where authorities called for an “independent international investigation” into corruption.
In a resolution issued by the federation’s executive committee and read at the press conference, the federation said it would «use all possible legal, institutional and judicial means to assert its rights and restore sporting fairness.»
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye appeared in his office for the Africa Cup of Nations trophy in a social media post on Wednesday and expressed his “outrage” at the CAF decision.
The Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), meanwhile, said the decision “enforces the rules and guarantees the stability necessary for the smooth conduct of international competitions.”
Published on March 19, 2026
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