Overview
- CAF’s appeals board on March 17 declared Senegal had forfeited the Jan. 18 AFCON final for leaving the field without authorization and recorded a 3-0 result in favor of Morocco, overturning the on-field extra-time win.
- Senegal’s federation says it will challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, a process that typically takes months before a verdict.
- George Weah criticized the ruling as lacking sporting or legal basis and urged CAS to overturn it, while former Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong warned the precedent damages the tournament’s credibility.
- CAF president Patrice Motsepe rejected perceptions of favoritism toward Morocco even as editorials and commentators argued the ruling undermines trust in African football governance.
- Senegal clarified that its World Cup kits will show only one star due to Puma’s production timeline begun in August 2025, with two-star jerseys planned for release starting in September.