Senegal Parades AFCON Trophy in Paris Amid Title Dispute
Senegal, the team that won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title in a contentious final against Morocco in January, showcased the trophy before their friendly match against Peru on Saturday at the Stade de France in Paris. This act was a clear demonstration of defiance following the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) decision earlier this month to strip Senegal of the title.
Senegal captain Kalidou Coulibaly and his teammates took to the pitch with the AFCON trophy, performing a lap of honour after a pre-match concert by Senegalese singer Youssou N’Dour.
Legal Battle and CAF’s Decision
Senegal has initiated a legal challenge against the decision to revoke their championship status. Meanwhile, Morocco, who were initially defeated 1-0 in the January final, have been officially awarded the title by CAF after a 3-0 forfeit victory on 17 March. This ruling followed Senegal’s 14-minute walk-off during the final in Rabat, protesting a penalty awarded against them.
Senegal Coach’s Statement
Pape Thiaw, Senegal’s head coach, expressed unwavering confidence in his team’s status as African champions despite the official revocation. Speaking publicly for the first time since CAF’s appeal board awarded Morocco the title, Thiaw stated on Friday:
“We know we’re African champions.”
He emphasized the importance of focusing on football and avoiding distractions caused by the controversy. Senegal has filed an appeal with the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Thiaw, who was centrally involved in the walk-off and received heavy sanctions, will lead Senegal at the upcoming World Cup in June. Saturday’s friendly against Peru was followed by another match against neighboring Gambia in Dakar on Tuesday.
“The most important thing is not to get distracted,”
“We know we’re African champions. We’re going to keep working to win more trophies. It’s clear in our minds that competitions and trophies are won on the pitch. We’ve done that; we’re African champions,”
Thiaw affirmed.
Morocco’s Response and Future Outlook
Morocco played a 1-1 draw against Ecuador on Friday in Madrid, marking their first match since the AFCON final and the subsequent decision to award them the title. The match was the debut for new coach Mohamed Ouahbi, three months ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Following Morocco’s historic achievement as the first African team to reach the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar 2022, expectations remain high. Despite Senegal’s objections, Morocco’s players and officials are focused on future competitions.
“We’re focused on what’s to come and not getting into that [topic],”
“The answer from us [about whether the decision was fair] would be what our federation said and that’s all … we’re looking forwards.”
Morocco’s goalkeeper Yassine Bounou commented on the situation.
Before being awarded the title following Senegal’s disqualification, Morocco had won the Africa Cup of Nations only once, in 1976. Moroccan media coverage prioritized preparations for the upcoming World Cup and Ouahbi’s tactical plans over the controversy surrounding Senegal’s grievances.
Ecuador’s coach, Sebastian Beccacece, expressed satisfaction with the draw against the "African champions." Morocco remains technically unbeaten in 25 matches, despite the dramatic loss to Senegal in the AFCON final held in Rabat.
Morocco showed some lack of precision in attack against Ecuador, but Ouahbi, who led Morocco’s Under-20 team to World Cup victory last year, highlighted the team’s overall strength.
“I don’t talk in terms of weaknesses. They’re not weaknesses. We are a top-level team – the Ecuadorian coach reminded us of that,”
“If you are a top-level team, ranked eighth in the world and World Cup semi-finalists, you don’t have weaknesses. You only have strengths, and then any qualities we’re missing, areas where we’re not performing, we have to make up for collectively.”
Morocco will face Brazil in their opening match of the World Cup on 13 June, a highly anticipated group stage encounter. While the Moroccan Football Federation’s legal team may have to defend their AFCON title status against Senegal’s appeal, Ouahbi and his squad remain focused on the summer tournament and the opportunity to secure another trophy on the field.
