CAF Chief Lands in Senegal Amid AFCON Row
CAF president Patrice Motsepe arrived in Dakar on Wednesday for meetings that carry considerably more diplomatic weight than the official agenda suggests, as the continent’s football governing body navigates one of its most contentious decisions in recent memory.
CAF confirmed in a statement on Tuesday that Motsepe would visit Senegal on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, for high-level talks with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF) president Abdoulaye Fall. CAF and the FSF said further details of the visit would be made available in due course.
The trip comes roughly three weeks after a ruling that shook African football to its foundations. On March 17, 2026, the CAF Appeals Committee overturned Senegal’s triumph at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and awarded the title to Morocco, a decision described as unprecedented and one that has fuelled a fierce legal battle between the two nations.
The events that triggered the ruling trace back to the final itself. Under the floodlights of the Prince Moulay Abdallah Stadium on January 18 in Rabat, Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 before a crowd of 68,000 to claim what appeared to be the country’s second continental crown. The team returned home to a hero’s welcome, a street parade through Dakar and a reception at the presidential palace where each of the 28 players received $134,892 and plots of land from President Faye.
But the celebrations unravelled months later. Senegal’s players had temporarily left the pitch during stoppage time to protest a penalty decision, before being convinced by Sadio Mané to return. Morocco’s Royal Football Federation appealed the result to CAF’s appeals board. Two of four requests were approved: Senegal was stripped of the title, and Morocco awarded a 3-0 walkover. CAF, however, rejected demands to rescind medals, trophies, and the $10 million prize money.
The FSF immediately challenged the verdict. The federation appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), whose rulings can take months unless all parties agree to an expedited process. CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb stated the body was committed to resolving the matter “as swiftly as possible, whilst respecting” due process.
Global reaction to the ruling was sharply divided. Spanish outlets described it as a “global scandal,” while Morocco’s Le360 Sport said CAF had “delivered justice.” Senegal’s federation condemned the verdict as “iniquitous, unprecedented and unacceptable,” and the Senegalese government called for an independent international investigation into alleged corruption within CAF.
Adding to the diplomatic friction, 18 Senegalese supporters remain detained in Morocco following violent incidents during the final, a situation that has added another layer of tension to an already volatile dispute.
Senegal has made little attempt to conceal its position. The Lions of Teranga paraded the AFCON trophy at the Parc des Princes ahead of a friendly against Peru, a pointed signal that the federation and its players regard the matter as unresolved.
The FSF, for its part, has maintained a courteous posture ahead of Motsepe’s arrival. Federation chief Abdoulaye Fall said: “Senegal is the land of Teranga. Teranga means hospitality,” adding that Motsepe would be welcomed as if in his “own country.”
Motsepe had earlier indicated his intention to prioritise dialogue in finding a peaceful resolution. The Senegalese government, however, had simultaneously signalled its willingness to pursue an international investigation into alleged corruption linked to the case, further heightening pressure on CAF’s leadership.
Whether Wednesday’s talks narrow the gap between the parties or simply buy time before CAS delivers its verdict remains to be seen.