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The Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe confirmed on Sunday that the organisation will fully “respect and implement” the upcoming decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding Senegal’s stripped title.
Speaking in Cairo, Motsepe addressed the ongoing dispute following the CAF Appeal Board’s decision to overturn Senegal’s 1-0 victory and award Morocco a 3-0 win.
The controversy stems from a 14-minute walk-off by Senegalese players during the January final in Rabat, sparked by a late penalty awarded to the hosts.
Despite the administrative ruling, Senegal remain defiant, parading the Africa Cup of Nations trophy and wearing jerseys featuring two championship stars during their recent World Cup warm-up against Peru in Paris.
Motsepe defended the independence of the CAF judicial bodies but announced that he would visit both nations to promote unity and growth in African football.
He also noted that CAF is currently revising its statutes and regulations to improve officiating and trust in VAR to prevent similar incidents in future tournaments.
In addition to the legal dispute, Motsepe announced leadership changes, with Nigeria’s Samson Adamu stepping in as caretaker general secretary following the retirement of Veron Mosengo-Omba.
The president also reiterated his ambition to expand the Africa Cup of Nations from 24 to 28 teams, though the 2027 edition in East Africa is currently set to remain at its traditional size.
For now, the focus of the continent remains on the CAS verdict, which will ultimately decide the official winner of the 2026 championship.
