President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, has promised to implement the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the disputed 2025 AFCON title, which was awarded to Morocco by the body’s Appeal Committee.
Motsepe made this known on Wednesday during a visit to Senegal, 22 days after the historic decision to strip the Teranga Lions of victory in the final of the 2025 AFCON and declare Morocco the winner.
On March 17, CAF’s Appeals Committee announced an unprecedented decision declaring Morocco the winner of the final, which was held on January 18, by a 3-0 scoreline, despite losing the match on the pitch 1-0, on the grounds that the Teranga Lions’ players withdrew from the field.
CAF’s decision sparked strong reactions inside Senegal, as the government, in a statement issued on March 18, called for an international investigation into “suspicions of corruption within the leading bodies” of the African confederation.
The Senegalese Football Federation did not give up and filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
In the wake of the legal battle, Motsepe acknowledged that the challenges and issues experienced during the final are now before the Court of Arbitration for Sport and that CAF will fully respect and implement whatever decision is taken.
The CAF President says his visit was driven by a strong commitment to working closely with Senegal’s football leadership, alongside the president, the government, and the people of the nation.
He emphasised that those matters are now behind, with CAF’s priority now on developing football across the member nations and strengthening the game across the African continent.
Motsepe is expected to deliver the same message when he visits Morocco on Thursday (today).
The visit is believed to be a diplomatic mission to calm the atmosphere over the ongoing legal battle surrounding the 2025 AFCON title.
