Patrice Motsepe Reacts After CAF Stripped Senegal of AFCON 2025 Title, Morocco Crowned Winners
- Patrice Motsepe has commented on the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeals Board's decision to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title
- The African football governing body's Appeals Board decided to crown the Atlas Lions of Morocco as winners of the competition despite losing 1-0 in the final
- The CAF president also commented on the Teranga Lions' next action after being stripped of the title, and what the organisation would do after that
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The President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, has broken his silence concerning CAF’s Appeals Board's decision to overturn the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final outcome, stripping Senegal of the title and awarding it to Morocco.
Source: Getty Images
The CAF Appeal Board decided on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, that the Atlas Lions were declared winners of the competition despite initially losing against the Teranga Lions in the final on Sunday, January 18, 2026.
The decision from the African football governing board sparked controversy amongst fans on social media, with renowned South African sports journalist Robert Marawa questioning the organisation for its actions.
Motsepe reacts to CAF Appeal Board decision
In a viral video released by CAF on the controversial decision by the Appeal Board, Motsepe said he was “deeply disappointed” by the circumstances surrounding the AFCON 2025 final, noting that the situation has raised questions about the integrity and reputation of African football.
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The South African businessman and football enthusiast went further to explain that the incidents linked to the AFCON 2025 final have undermined years of progress made in rebuilding trust, transparency, and effective governance within the sport across the continent.
“What occurred during that final compromised the progress CAF has achieved over time in upholding integrity, respect, ethical standards, and credibility in its competitions,” Motsepe stated.
Despite rating the improvements in CAF's administrative and governance structures since he became the president, Motsepe admitted that there are still issues about not trusting the African football governing body.
Motsepe also made mention of the concerns on the refereeing quality in CAF competitions and also the autonomy of CAF’s judicial bodies. He claimed that all these aspects are still being scrutinised by fans and pundits despite making serious efforts to reform them.
Source: Getty Images
He noted that CAF has made intentional moves to reinforce its legal and disciplinary frameworks by appointing experienced judges and legal professionals drawn from its six regional zones and 54 member associations.
According to him, the contrasting decisions delivered by CAF’s Disciplinary Board and Appeals Board highlight the independence of these institutions, even though such outcomes may spark debate and controversy.
“The Disciplinary Board reached one conclusion, while the Appeals Board arrived at a completely different one,” he said. “This shows independence, but we recognise the concerns regarding integrity.”
Motsepe on Senegal's next action
There are indications that Senegal would fight the decision made by CAF and take the issue to the highest court in sports, which is the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Motsepe admitted that the Teranga Lions hold the right to take the case to CAS and added that CAF would respect and honour whatever ruling emerges from the highest authority in sports dispute resolution.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns chairman reaffirmed the organisation's stance on fairness, stressing that no nation would receive preferential treatment over another within African football.
“No country on the continent will be given an advantage over others. We remain committed to fairness and equal treatment,” Motsepe added.
The matter would remain the biggest topic in African football for the next few months till Senegal take the issue to CAS for final ruling.
CAF President on Morocco hosting tournaments
Briefly News also reported that CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe has addressed the controversy surrounding Morocco hosting major tournaments in Africa in recent years.
The North African nation has hosted several events recently, raising questions among football fans and analysts about a perceived preference.
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Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
