All posts tagged: AFCON

CAF President Motsepe rejects Senegal’s corruption claim amid AFCON fallout | Football News

CAF President Motsepe rejects Senegal’s corruption claim amid AFCON fallout | Football News

Published by Sam Flores

Senegal’s government alleged corruption at African football’s governing body after AFCON title awarded to Morocco. Published On 9 Apr 20269 Apr 2026 The president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has rejected accusations of corruption by the Senegalese government after the body’s shock decision to strip Senegal of its AFCON title and award it to Morocco. “If anybody wants to initiate legal action alleging that there is corruption in CAF, I don’t only welcome that, I encourage them,” said Patrice Motsepe, speaking in Morocco on Thursday. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list “There’s nothing to hide. We respect enormously the judicial and legal sovereignty of every single one of our 54 nations on the African continent. “I’m confident that whatever the decision of CAS will say, we will respect it and we will implement it,” he added, referring to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Motsepe’s visit comes at a particularly tense time for CAF following its surprise decision to overturn Senegal’s 1-0 win against host-nation Morocco in the Africa Cup of …

CAF general secretary quits amid AFCON final controversy | Football News

CAF general secretary quits amid AFCON final controversy | Football News

Published by Sam Flores

Veron Mosengo-Omba’s resignation follows the fallout over the CAF board’s decision to strip Senegal of the AFCON title, Africa’s showpiece football tournament. Published On 30 Mar 202630 Mar 2026 The Confederation of African Football (CAF)’s general secretary, Veron Mosengo-Omba, resigned on Sunday after repeated ⁠calls for his removal ⁠and at a turbulent time for the game on the continent. Mosengo-Omba said he was retiring, but his departure comes amid a crisis of confidence in the organisation’s leadership, with a growing ⁠fallout over the decision to strip Senegal of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title and calls for an investigation into alleged corruption at African football’s governing body. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list There has been a swell of recent criticism of his staying ⁠on as general secretary well past the organisation’s mandatory retirement age of 63, largely on social media but also from members of CAF’s executive committee. “After over 30 years of an international professional career dedicated to promoting an ideal form of football that brings people together, educates, and …

Senegal to stage AFCON victory celebrations in Paris despite losing title

Senegal to stage AFCON victory celebrations in Paris despite losing title

Published by Sam Flores

Despite being stripped of their title, the Senegal national team are expected to present their AFCON 2025 trophy to fans in the build-up to their friendly match against Peru at the Stade de France on Saturday.  The country’s football federation has also lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over CAF’s decision to award the title to Morocco. Source link

Senegal pledges to fight ‘robbery’ after CAF strips it of AFCON title | Africa Cup of Nations News

Senegal pledges to fight ‘robbery’ after CAF strips it of AFCON title | Africa Cup of Nations News

Published by Sam Flores

Senegal’s lawyers say CAF’s decision to hand Morocco the AFCON title ‘openly violates the laws of the ‌game’. Published On 26 Mar 202626 Mar 2026 The head of Senegal’s football governing body has pledged to mount a “crusade” against a ⁠decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to strip the country’s African Cup of Nations title, as its legal team warned the case could reshape the world of football ⁠and undermine the principle that refereeing decisions are final. “This decision cannot even be considered a true sporting justice ruling – it is so crude, so absurd, so irrational,” lawyer Juan de Dios Crespo Perez, representing Senegal’s ruling body, told a news conference on Thursday. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list “It openly violates the laws of the ‌game and the principle that refereeing decisions are final.” “In the face of this administrative robbery, the FSF refuses fatality. We will fight a moral and legal crusade,” Abdoulaye Fall, president of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), said. The FSF lodged an appeal at the …

Eritrea to end 18-year AFCON isolation by playing Eswatini in qualifier | Football News

Eritrea to end 18-year AFCON isolation by playing Eswatini in qualifier | Football News

Published by Sam Flores

Eritrea vs Eswatini on Wednesday will serve as the first AFCON qualifier for the east African nation since 2008. Published On 24 Mar 202624 Mar 2026 Eritrea will end 18 years of isolation from the Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday when they host Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, in the Moroccan city of Meknes in the first qualifier for the 2027 tournament. The preliminary round first leg at the 20,000-seat Stade d’Honneur has been moved from East to North Africa because Eritrea lacks an international-standard venue. Recommended Stories list of 2 itemsend of list Eswatini will stage the return match on March 31, and the aggregate winners will advance to the group stage, which will consist of 12 four-nation mini-leagues from September. Popularly known as the Red Sea Camels, the East African country have not played in the premier African national team competition since drawing a 2008 qualifier in Swaziland. Eritrean football officials have never explained their absence from nine subsequent Cups of Nations, but it is widely believed to be due to players …

Senegal and Morocco tied by religion and trade but divided by AFCON fallout | Africa Cup of Nations News

Senegal and Morocco tied by religion and trade but divided by AFCON fallout | Africa Cup of Nations News

Published by Sam Flores

When governing body offficials the Africa Cup of Nations title to Morocco, overturning Senegal’s victory two months after the chaotic final, football fans were stunned. The impact of the decision could spread beyond sport and weaken the bond between the nations. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list While Moroccan fans took to the streets to celebrate their team’s belated success, the decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) was met with disbelief in Senegal, with fans and authorities calling the decision “unjust”. Senegal’s government on Wednesday said it will pursue “all appropriate legal avenues” to overturn the decision and called for an international investigation into “suspected corruption” within African football’s governing body. The Senegal Football Federation (FSF) then announced on Thursday that it had instructed lawyers, apparently carrying through its threat to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Such a move could lead to a yearlong legal battle before a ruling. CAF’s appeals board on Tuesday ruled that Senegal forfeited the final by leaving the field of …

Senegal sensationally stripped of AFCON title, Morocco declared champions

Senegal sensationally stripped of AFCON title, Morocco declared champions

Published by Sam Flores

Senegal say they will appeal after they were sensationally stripped of the Africa Cup of Nations title on Tuesday and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) instead declared Morocco champions, two months after their chaotic final. Several Senegalese players controversially walked off the pitch in Rabat during the final on January 18 in protest when the hosts were awarded a penalty late in second-half stoppage time. Source link

Senegal coach defends AFCON final walk-off before expected sanction | Africa Cup of Nations News

Senegal coach defends AFCON final walk-off before expected sanction | Africa Cup of Nations News

Published by Sam Flores

Senegal face investigation following players and coaches walk-off in injury time of AFCON final against hosts Morocco. Published On 22 Jan 202622 Jan 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Senegal coach Pape Thiaw has defended his team’s walk-off during the Africa Cup of Nations final, saying it was an emotional decision taken in the chaos of the moment. Last Sunday, Senegal left the field in stoppage time when Morocco was awarded a penalty, just moments after a potential trophy-winning Senegal goal was ruled out. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list “It was never my intention to go against the principles of the game I love so much,” Thiaw wrote on Instagram on Thursday. “I simply tried to protect my players from injustice. What some may perceive as a violation of the rules is nothing more than an emotional reaction to the bias of the situation. After deliberation, we decided to resume the match and go for the trophy.” Sadio Mane persuaded the Senegal players back so Brahim Díaz could …

‘Shameful’: How controversial AFCON final descended into total chaos

‘Shameful’: How controversial AFCON final descended into total chaos

Published by Sam Flores

A missed Panenka in the 24th minute of stoppage time, a team storming off the pitch and ultimately a second Africa Cup of Nations title for Senegal. That, though, barely scratches the surface in telling the story of a truly extraordinary AFCON final on Sunday night. Pape Gueye scored a brilliant extra-time winner to leave Morocco devastated in front of their home fans in Rabat. Either side of that strike, total chaos ensued. Here’s what happened – and all the fallout. For 90 minutes, it had been a typical cagey, tense final. It remained goalless heading into eight minutes of stoppage time, at which point the mayhem began. Senegal thought they had won it when Crystal Palace winger Ismaila Sarr nodded into the net on the rebound after Abdoulaye Seck’s header had hit the woodwork. However, the whistle had already gone as the referee deemed Seck to have fouled Achraf Hakimi. Replays showed that to be a harsh decision, with Hakimi going down under minimal contact, but the quick whistle meant that VAR could not …