The Cup will not leave Senegal – Abdoulaye Sow after CAF strip Senegal off 2025 AFCON
18th March 2026
#image_title
Abdoulaye Sow, Secretary General of the Senegalese Football Federation, has declared that Senegal will not hand over the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations trophy, intensifying a bitter dispute with the Confederation of African Football.
“The cup will not leave the country,” Sow said, speaking amid growing national outrage after CAF awarded the title to Morocco following a controversial appeals ruling.
CAF’s decision overturned Senegal’s 1-0 victory in the final, replacing it with a 3-0 forfeiture after determining that Senegal had breached competition regulations.
Sow criticised the governing body in strong terms, describing it as “corrupt”, and insisted that Senegal would pursue every possible avenue to challenge the outcome.
“The fight is far from over,” he said. “I want to reassure all Senegalese people. Senegal has the right and victory is on its side.”
His comments underline the federation’s determination to resist the ruling, with officials already exploring legal options to overturn the decision.
The federation is expected to take its case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as part of what Sow described as a broader campaign combining “moral, legal, and sporting” efforts.
The controversy has sparked widespread condemnation, with players, former internationals and football officials across Africa questioning both the process and the outcome.
For Senegal’s football authorities, the priority remains safeguarding the integrity of the national team’s achievement, which they argue was earned on the pitch.
By framing the dispute as both a legal and symbolic battle, the federation is seeking to rally public support while maintaining pressure on CAF.
Sow’s defiant stance suggests the row over the 2025 AFCON title is far from settled, with Senegal prepared to continue its challenge on multiple fronts as the football world watches closely.