Wednesday 18/March/2026 – 09:42 PM
Head commented Confederation of African Footballon the decision of the Appeal Committee regarding the crisis in the final match of the African Cup of Nations “Morocco 2025”, confirming that he had seen the details of the ruling issued after the appeal submitted by the Moroccan Federation.
CAF President comments on the crisis of the 2025 African Nations Final: There is no distinction between countries… and Senegal has the right to resort to the Cup
The CAF President expressed his deep disappointment regarding the events that took place in the final, noting that the seriousness of what happened lies in the fact that it threatens the efforts that have been made over the years to ensure integrity, respect and ethics within African football, in addition to the credibility of the match results.
He explained that these incidents reflect continuing challenges related to suspicion and lack of trust, describing it as an “inherited issue” that dates back many years, stressing that the Federation is constantly working to address it and strengthen the principles of neutrality and independence, especially with regard to referees and match observers.
He stressed the importance of the independence of judicial bodies within CAF, explaining that the federation took a new approach in selecting its members, through nominations submitted by the member federations and the six regional regions, ensuring the presence of an elite group of judges and lawyers known for their competence and integrity.
He pointed out that the difference in the decisions of the judicial bodies, between the Disciplinary Committee and the Appeal Committee, reflects the independence of those bodies, stressing at the same time that Senegal has the full right to continue the appeal procedures, whether within “CAF” or before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The President of the African Union stressed that no country will be treated preferentially, stressing that all 54 member associations enjoy full equality, and that “CAF” deals very seriously with what happened in the final, and has already begun taking steps to address the shortcomings.
He concluded his statements by emphasizing the need for football fans in Africa to trust the integrity and fairness of decisions, whether issued by judicial bodies or related to the performance of referees and video technology (VAR), as this is an essential element in developing the game within the continent.
