The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has stripped Senegal of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, ruling that the team forfeited the final by walking off the pitch in protest during the match’s closing minutes.
The decision, announced by CAF’s appeal board, relates to the tournament final held in Morocco two months ago. With the match deep into stoppage time, Senegal’s players left the field after a contentious penalty was awarded to the hosts. The Teranga Lions eventually returned, and play continued for approximately 30 additional minutes before the final whistle.
CAF’s verdict concludes that Senegal’s initial departure constituted a forfeit, thereby nullifying their victory. The timing and process of the ruling have drawn attention, as the announcement came without prior public indication of an ongoing appeal, and the deciding panel reportedly sat without a full roster of members.
The Senegalese Football Federation has confirmed it will appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). A key point of contention is the interpretation of the rules. Senegal’s defense is expected to argue that the team did not abandon the match but left the pitch specifically, while the match itself continued after both teams resumed play under the referee’s authority. Under FIFA’s Laws of the Game, the referee holds primary jurisdiction over determining whether an abandonment has occurred.
The ruling reverses the on-field result, awarding the title to Morocco. This unprecedented action raises significant questions about the finality of match outcomes and the application of competition regulations. The case now moves to CAS, the global highest authority for sports disputes, which will be tasked with reviewing CAF’s procedural and substantive grounds for the sanction. The outcome will have profound implications for the governance of African football and the status of the 2023 AFCON.
