Senegal has responded with indignation to the announcement that Morocco have been declared winners of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025, thus stripping their title won two months ago, when they beat Morocco 1-0 in the final in Rabat. The Moroccan Football Federation argued that when the Senegalese players left the field in protest of a referee decision means they forfeited the match, but they returned 14 minutes later and the match ended with their victory.
Writing on a social media statement after the news was announced, the Senegalese Football Federation denounced "this unjust, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision, which discredits African football. In defense of its rights and the interests of Senegalese football, the Federation will initiate, as soon as possible, an appeal procedure before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne".
Abdoulaye Seydou Sow, Secretary General of the SFF, added in an interview with Le Soleil (via RMC) that "the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is corrupt, and the reactions worldwide following this decision confirm total outrage", and that the cup will not leave the country. " The fight is far from over. I want to reassure all Senegalese people. Senegal has the right and victory is on its side. The cup will not leave the country."
He also described the decision as "a travesty and based on absolutely nothing", without legal foundation, in Senegalese broadcaster RTS1 (via Reuters), adding suspicion that the court ruling was fixed: "When the hearing began, we already had serious doubts — clearly, the judge did not come to rule on the case, he came to carry out orders."