President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, has assured that the organisation will abide by whatever ruling is delivered by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding the controversial outcome of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.
Motsepe gave this assurance on Wednesday during an official visit to Senegal, coming weeks after CAF’s Appeals Committee made the shocking decision to overturn the tournament result. The committee awarded Morocco the title despite Senegal originally winning the final 1–0 on the pitch.
The decision, announced on March 17, stated that Morocco would be declared 3–0 winners after Senegal’s players were accused of walking off during the match, a development CAF said influenced the ruling.
The verdict triggered outrage in Senegal, with authorities strongly questioning the decision. In a statement released the following day, the Senegalese government called for a thorough international probe, citing concerns about possible misconduct within CAF’s leadership.
Refusing to accept the outcome, the Senegalese Football Federation proceeded to challenge the decision by filing an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Speaking on the matter, Motsepe admitted the situation surrounding the final had become a legal issue now firmly in CAS’s hands. He stressed that CAF is committed to respecting the court’s final judgment once it is delivered.
He also explained that his trip to Senegal reflects CAF’s desire to maintain strong relationships with the country’s football authorities, government officials, and citizens.
According to him, CAF is now focused on moving beyond the controversy and concentrating on its broader mission of growing football and improving the sport across Africa.
Motsepe is also expected to continue his diplomatic efforts with a planned visit to Morocco, where he is likely to repeat the same message as part of efforts to ease tensions created by the dispute over the AFCON title.
