President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, has expressed deep concern following the decision by CAF’s Appeals Board to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title and award it to Morocco.
Reacting to the highly controversial ruling, Motsepe admitted he was “extremely disappointed” by the incidents surrounding the final, stressing that the developments have cast a shadow over the integrity and credibility of African football.
According to the CAF president, the events that unfolded during the AFCON 2025 final undermined years of effort aimed at restoring trust, fairness, and strong governance within the continent’s football administration.
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“What happened in that final match undermines the good work CAF has done over many years to ensure integrity, respect, ethics, and credibility in our competitions,” Motsepe said.
He acknowledged that while CAF has made significant progress in reforming its structures, lingering doubts and suspicions remain a “legacy issue” that continues to challenge the organization.
Motsepe highlighted concerns about the perception of refereeing standards, match officiating, and the independence of CAF’s judicial bodies, noting that these areas remain under scrutiny despite ongoing reforms.
The CAF boss explained that the governing body has taken deliberate steps to strengthen its legal and disciplinary systems by appointing respected judges and legal experts from across its six regional zones and 54 member associations.
He emphasized that the differing rulings by CAF’s Disciplinary Board and Appeals Board demonstrate the independence of these bodies, even though they may fuel debate and controversy.
“The Disciplinary Board took one decision, and the Appeals Board took a totally different position.
” That reflects independence, but we understand the concerns around integrity,” he added.
Motsepe also confirmed that Senegal has the right to escalate the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), assuring that CAF will fully respect whatever verdict is reached at the highest level of sports arbitration.
He reiterated CAF’s commitment to fairness, insisting that no country on the continent would receive preferential treatment over another.
“Not a single country in Africa will be treated more favorably than another. We are committed to fairness and equality,” Motsepe stated.
In response to the controversy, CAF has already begun reviewing its processes, with plans to implement corrective measures in areas identified as weaknesses during the final.
Motsepe concluded by stressing that the ultimate goal is to restore confidence among football fans across Africa, ensuring that decisions made by referees, VAR officials, and judicial panels are widely accepted as impartial and credible.
The fallout from the AFCON 2025 final continues to generate debate across the continent, with Senegal expected to pursue its appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in what could become one of the most significant legal battles in African football history.
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