Senegal Defy CAF Ruling By Displaying AFCON Trophy Ahead Of Peru Friendly
Sports Updated: 28 March 2026 18:59 EAT
Senegal presents the AFCON trophy at Stade de France ahead of Peru friendly game
Senegal stirred fresh controversy in African football after publicly displaying the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy ahead of their international friendly against Peru at the Stade de France, insisting they remain the rightful champions despite a contrary ruling by the Confederation of African Football.
The West African nation’s bold gesture comes in the wake of a dramatic and disputed conclusion to the 2025 AFCON final, where Senegal had initially secured a hard-fought victory over Morocco national football team in a tense encounter that went into extra time, sparking celebrations across Dakar and beyond.
However, the match descended into chaos in its closing stages after a contentious penalty decision in favour of Morocco triggered protests from Senegal players, culminating in a temporary walk-off that would later prove decisive in shaping the tournament’s final outcome.
Following a review of the incident, CAF ruled that Senegal’s actions constituted a breach of competition regulations, effectively awarding the match to Morocco by forfeiture and overturning the result to hand the North African side the continental title in a decision that has since divided opinion across the football world.
The ruling elevated Morocco to official AFCON champions, but Senegalese football authorities, players and technical bench have rejected the verdict outright, maintaining that the result on the pitch should stand and branding the decision as both unjust and politically influenced.
In a clear show of defiance, Senegal carried and displayed the AFCON trophy during pre-match proceedings in Paris, reinforcing their stance that they are still Africa’s champions while drawing applause from sections of their supporters and criticism from others who view the move as undermining CAF’s authority.
Officials from the Senegal Football Federation have confirmed that the matter has been escalated to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, where they are seeking to overturn CAF’s decision and restore Senegal’s status as continental champions through legal channels.
The standoff has since evolved into a broader dispute over governance, fairness and the interpretation of disciplinary rules in African football, with analysts warning that the outcome of the case could set a major precedent for how similar incidents are handled in future international competitions.
As the legal battle continues, the symbolic trophy display in Paris underscores Senegal’s refusal to concede defeat off the pitch, ensuring that the AFCON 2025 controversy remains unresolved and firmly in the spotlight of the global football community.
Tags: AFCON 2025 Article Caf CAF CAF Total Energies Edit Editor's Pick Editors choice Morocco Morocco Fc Morocco National Team Senegal Senegal Fc Signs Signs Media Kenya Limited Signs Tv Signsmedia Signstv Signstvkenya Sports Commentary Sports Journalism
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FELIX MAKONA
FACT FINDER AND DATA DRIVEN JOURNALIST. DATA MINING AT IT'S BEST. GET FACTS RANGING FROM MATTERS DISABILITY AND INCLUSION, POLITICS, ECONOMY, SPORTS AND GENERAL NEWS AROUND THE WORLD