The President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, has confirmed that the governing body will abide by the final ruling of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) dispute involving Senegal and Morocco.
Speaking after a CAF executive meeting in Cairo, Motsepe emphasized that personal opinions would not influence the outcome, stressing that the organisation remains committed to upholding the decision of the independent arbitration body.
The controversy stems from the AFCON final, where Senegal initially secured a 1-0 victory over Morocco. However, tensions escalated during the match after a late penalty was awarded to Morocco, prompting Senegal’s players and officials to briefly walk off the pitch in protest.
Although Morocco missed the penalty, Senegal went on to score in extra time to seal the win. Despite this, CAF’s appeals committee later overturned the result, awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory — a decision that triggered Senegal’s appeal to CAS.
In a show of defiance, Senegal recently paraded the AFCON trophy during an international friendly in France and wore jerseys featuring two stars — symbolizing both their 2022 triumph and the disputed 2026 title.
Motsepe clarified that CAF’s judicial processes are handled by independent legal experts, reinforcing the organisation’s commitment to fairness and due process.
He also revealed plans to visit both Senegal and Morocco to promote unity and stability within African football, amid growing tensions caused by the dispute.
Meanwhile, CAF announced upcoming reforms aimed at improving officiating standards, including enhancements to refereeing systems, VAR operations, and disciplinary procedures. These measures are designed to restore confidence and prevent similar controversies in future tournaments.
In a related development, Nigeria-born official Samson Adamu has been appointed as CAF’s caretaker General Secretary, replacing Veron Mosengo-Omba, who is retiring after reaching the organisation’s mandatory age limit.
The final decision from CAS is expected to bring closure to the high-profile dispute, which has sparked widespread debate across the football community.
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