Senegal stage Afcon trophy parade amid ongoing legal battle with CAF

Senegal have announced plans to parade the Africa Cup of Nations trophy ahead of their international friendly against Peru in Paris on Saturday, in a bold show of defiance after being stripped of the continental title, Sport360NG reports. 

The West African nation were initially crowned champions on 18 January following a 1-0 extra-time victory over hosts Morocco in a dramatic final. However, the match ended in controversy after Senegal’s players left the pitch when Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty with the game still goalless.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) later overturned the result, awarding Morocco a 3-0 win, a decision that has sparked widespread backlash from Senegalese authorities and football officials.

Senegal have since filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which confirmed receipt of the case on Tuesday and pledged to deliver a verdict as quickly as possible.

Speaking at a press conference in Paris, Senegal Football Federation president Abdoulaye Fall condemned the ruling, describing it as an unprecedented injustice.

“We are faced with what can only be described as an administrative robbery,” Fall said. “Senegal will not accept this outcome. Our fight goes beyond football, it is about defending our values.”

Despite the controversy, the federation has scheduled a trophy parade as part of activities surrounding Saturday’s match at the Stade de France, underlining their refusal to recognise Caf’s decision.

The dispute stems from events during the final in Rabat, where Morocco lodged a formal complaint to CAF and FIFA, arguing that Senegal’s walk-off disrupted the match and affected player morale.

Although Caf’s disciplinary committee initially rejected Morocco’s protest and sanctioned both teams, including handing Senegal coach Pape Thiaw a five-match ban, the governing body’s appeals board later ruled in Morocco’s favour.

The board cited breaches of competition regulations, specifically provisions relating to teams leaving the field without referee approval, which can result in forfeiture.

Senegal’s government has also entered the fray, calling for an investigation into alleged corruption within CAF, an accusation strongly denied by Caf president Patrice Motsepe, who emphasised the independence of the disciplinary process.

Senegal’s legal team has fiercely criticised the ruling, labelling it irrational and unprecedented. Lawyer Seydou Diagne described the verdict as a serious violation of the federation’s rights, while fellow counsel Juan Perez warned the decision could set a dangerous precedent in global football governance.

CAF briefly listed Morocco as winners of the 2025 Afcon on its official platforms, although the update has since been removed.

With Senegal maintaining possession of the trophy and preparing a symbolic parade in Paris, the dispute remains unresolved, with the final verdict now resting in the hands of sport’s highest judicial body.