Patrice Motsepe, President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has called for renewed unity among all African football members. His appeal follows a significant controversy surrounding the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, which saw a contentious title dispute between Senegal and Morocco. Furthermore, Motsepe has expressed his willingness to welcome any investigation into allegations of corruption within the continental football body.
The controversy stems from an incident in the AFCON 2025 final, played in Rabat on January 18, 2026. The match descended into chaos when players from the Senegalese team walked off the field in the 90th minute, specifically after the 90+8 mark, following the referee’s decision to award a penalty kick to the host nation, Morocco. Prompted by encouragement and appeals from their captain, former Liverpool star Sadio Mane, the Senegalese players eventually returned to the pitch. In a dramatic turn of events, Senegal’s Pape Gueye managed to score a late goal from a counter-attack after a penalty save, securing an on-field 1-0 victory against Morocco.
However, the celebratory outcome for Senegal was short-lived. Following a protest filed by Morocco regarding the Senegalese team’s walk-off, CAF later decided to strip Senegal of the 2025 AFCON championship title and subsequently awarded it to Morocco. This decision has been vehemently disputed by the Senegalese Football Federation, which has publicly stated its intention to appeal against CAF’s ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The Senegalese government had also accused CAF of impropriety in March, prompting the call for an internal investigation into corruption.
In a bid to foster reconciliation and address the escalating tensions, Motsepe recently met with officials from the Senegalese Football Federation and Senegal’s President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, on April 8. During this meeting, he reiterated his call for solidarity and urged all parties to move past the recent controversies. The CAF president also plans to visit Morocco with the same objective, where he is scheduled to meet with the Moroccan football federation president and the country’s head of state.
Motsepe publicly addressed the corruption allegations, stating, “I welcome any investigation into corruption at CAF by governments or any institution. I have previously stated that in the past we had a lot of interference, not only in football but also in business and politics. But now we don’t want our future generations to see and know about those bad things happening in African football in the future.” His remarks underscore a commitment to transparency and integrity within African football.
Looking ahead, both Senegal and Morocco are currently preparing for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Senegal finds itself in Group I, alongside formidable teams such as France, Norway, and the winner of the play-off between Bolivia and Iraq. The team recently demonstrated its strength with a victory against Peru on March 28, played before an enthusiastic crowd of approximately 70,000 fans in France. Morocco, meanwhile, is placed in Group C for the World Cup, where they will face strong contenders including Brazil, Scotland, and Haiti.
