Paris was not the obvious venue for an African coronation. But there, an hour before kick-off at the Stade de France on Saturday, Senegal’s players carried the Africa Cup of Nations trophy around the pitch while a near-capacity crowd roared. They wore freshly designed jerseys bearing two gold stars above the badge — one for their first continental title, one for the disputed crown won in Rabat two months earlier. Nicolas Jackson and Ismaila Sarr then scored in a comfortable 2-0 victory over Peru.

The Confederation of African Football had already told Senegal to hand the trophy back.

A Final That Unraveled

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, played on January 18 before 66,526 spectators at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, was goalless for 90 minutes. Then stoppage time detonated.

In the fifth added minute, Senegal’s Abdoulaye Seck headed a corner against the crossbar and Ismaila Sarr tucked in the rebound. Referee Jean-Jacques Ndala had already blown for a foul on Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi during the build-up — disallowing the goal and, because the whistle had sounded, preventing VAR from reviewing whether the call was correct.

Three minutes later, a VAR review penalised Senegalese defender El Hadji Malick Diouf for holding Brahim Díaz in the penalty area. Senegal’s players shoved Ndala and opposing players. Head coach Pape Thiaw instructed his squad to leave the pitch.

The match was suspended for roughly 14 minutes while Senegalese star Sadio Mané persuaded his teammates in the dressing room to return, reportedly telling them: “We will play like men!” During the delay, Senegalese fans attempted a pitch invasion and clashed with Moroccan police and supporters.

When play resumed, Édouard Mendy saved Díaz’s Panenka-style penalty. In the 94th minute of extra time, Pape Gueye curled a left-footed shot into the top corner. Senegal had their second Africa Cup of Nations title.

Morocco, the hosts, appealed.

The Reversal

On March 17, the CAF Appeal Board ruled that by leaving the field and “repeatedly refusing to return from their dressing room,” Senegal had forfeited the match under Articles 82 and 84 of AFCON regulations. The result was changed to a 3-0 Morocco victory. The title changed hands without a ball being kicked.

The Senegalese Football Federation called the decision a “travesty” with “no legal foundation” and appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport on March 25. Senegal’s government went further, calling for an international investigation into CAF’s governance.

A former member of the CAF Appeal Board itself questioned the ruling’s legal basis. “I know it does not have the power to change the on-field decision of a referee,” the former member told The Guardian. “I cannot understand how they came to this disgraceful decision.”

The General Secretary Departs

The morning after Senegal’s defiant trophy parade in Paris, CAF general secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba resigned — or retired, depending on which version you believe.

Mosengo-Omba, a 66-year-old Congolese-born Swiss citizen and former FIFA official described by Reuters as a university friend of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, had served past CAF’s mandatory retirement age, drawing criticism from CAF executive committee members and on social media. He had faced accusations from staff of creating a toxic workplace — though an internal investigation cleared him. His resignation statement said he could now “retire with peace of mind and without constraint, leaving the CAF more prosperous than ever.”

CAF president Patrice Motsepe offered a different account, telling reporters that Mosengo-Omba had been asked by DR Congo’s president to assist with football development. Reuters sources indicated Mosengo-Omba intends to run for the presidency of DR Congo’s football federation — a position that could serve as a springboard to CAF’s top job should Motsepe himself depart for South African politics.

Nigeria-born CAF competitions director Samson Adamu will step in as acting general secretary.

What CAS Decides, Goes

Motsepe told reporters in Cairo on Sunday that he would “respect and implement the CAS decision,” calling his personal opinion “irrelevant.” He stressed that the Appeal Board comprises independent judges and lawyers, and said CAF would revise its statutes and regulations to prevent similar chaos — though he offered no concrete details.

Senegal plans to parade the trophy again on Tuesday in Dakar against Gambia. The squad, their federation, and their government have shown no intention of backing down.

The golden trophy sits in Senegal’s possession. Whether it belongs there is now a question for three arbitrators in Lausanne.

Sources