The president of the Confederation of African Football, Patrice Motsepe, finally broke his silence over the controversy surrounding the 2025 AFCON title, which was sparked after Senegal was stripped and Morocco was declared the winner, leading to a myriad of reactions.
In a video shared on the Confederation of African Football’s official YouTube page, Motsepe explained that although the decision was made, its implementation rested with the independent bodies of the federation.
“The independence of CAF’s judicial organs is clearly reflected in the different decisions issued by the disciplinary commission and the appeals commission,” he said.
The situation has left fans wondering, especially after the Appeals Jury ruled Morocco 3-0 winners, thus crowning Morocco the winner, after the initial decision was made. The situation is one of the most talked-about moments in African football.
The final, which took place on January 18 in Rabat, was also dramatic, with the Senegal team walking off the pitch in the latter stages of the game, leading to a myriad of reactions about the events of the game.
Motsepe said the actions of the Senegal team did not speak well of the Confederation of African Football.
“What happened during that match compromises the considerable work accomplished by CAF over many years to guarantee integrity, respect, ethics, good governance, and credibility of our football results,” he said.
He said the panel that made the final call included experienced legal experts from across Africa and worked independently from CAF leadership.
Despite all the chaos, CAF is finally taking steps to address the situation. Motsepe said, “We are already looking at the way the refereeing is conducted, the way the VAR system is used, and we don’t want a repeat of this kind of situation down the line.”
Senegal, however, has no intention of letting the case drop. They have 10 days to take the case to the Court of Arbitration, which could finally bring a verdict on the case.
Motsepe reiterated, “Any country has the right to appeal, and we respect whatever the decision of the highest court is.”
The controversy has marred African football at a time when the focus has shifted towards the future, including the hosting of the AFCON 2027, which Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania are set to host.