Senegal’s long-awaited Africa Cup of Nations triumph has been followed not by celebration, but by growing unease, as questions mount over an unpaid $10m winners’ prize and an unusual silence from football’s governing bodies.

More than a week after the Lions of Teranga edged Morocco 1-0 to lift the 2025 AFCON title, neither the Confederation of African Football (CAF) nor Fifa has issued a public congratulatory message, a departure from long-standing post-tournament protocol that has fuelled concern in Dakar and across the continent.

At the heart of the controversy is the $10m bonus allocated to the champions, which remains unreleased. According to reports by journalist Hocine Djennad, the delay is linked to Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, who also chairs CAF’s Finance Committee and serves as an authorised signatory for financial transactions.

Those reports allege that payments have been blocked at this level, leaving Senegal and other AFCON beneficiaries still waiting for funds. If confirmed, it would mark an unprecedented situation in the tournament’s history, with no player, official or federation having received prize money linked to the competition.

Beyond the financial impasse, the same sources claim there is a broader attempt to undermine Senegal following their success on Moroccan soil, including suggestions that a case is being prepared behind the scenes against the reigning champions. No evidence has been made public, and neither CAF nor the Moroccan Football Federation has commented on the allegations.

The episode has reignited debate about governance within African football, with critics warning that the concentration of administrative influence and financial control risks eroding confidence in CAF at a time when transparency is under intense scrutiny.

For now, CAF and Fifa have yet to issue formal statements addressing either the delayed payments or the lack of official recognition of Senegal’s victory.

As pressure builds for clarity, Senegal’s continental success should have been a moment of national pride, remains clouded by uncertainty, turning triumph into a test of accountability at the highest levels of African football.