Local football analysts have criticised the decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to overturn the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) final result in favour of hosts Morocco.
The Lions of Teranga beat the Atlas Lions 1-0 in the final on January 18 in a match that was marred by controversy when the Senegalese players refused to play and headed to the dressing room after the hosts were awarded a stoppage-time penalty with the match goalless.
CAF announced the decision to strip Senegal of their African championship title in a statement on Tuesday night, citing Articles 82 and 84 of the Afcon regulations.
The statement reads: “The CAF Appeal Board decided that in application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations [Afcon], the Senegal National Football Team is declared to have forfeited the final match of the TotalEnergies Afcon Morocco 2025, with the result of the match being recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Royal Morocco Football Federation.”
The decision has drawn sharp reactions from Malawian football followers, who argue that the verdict undermines the spirit of the game.
Former Football Association of Malawi Disciplinary Committee member Khumbo Bonzoe Soko, writing on his Facebook page, acknowledged the importance of rules, but questioned their application in this case.
The private practice lawyer emphasised that while regulations must be respected, they should be applied with careful consideration.
At the same time, Soko encouraged Senegal to pursue justice through the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), where the West African nation has already indicated it will appeal.
“As a football fan, it’s a dumb decision. Matches should be won on the pitch, not in boardrooms,” he said.
Mighty Wanderers director of football David Kanyenda, a lawyer, described the decision to strip Senegal of the African title as unprecedented.
He said: “It sets a treacherous precedent of overturning refereeing decisions via boardroom decisions. The result ought to have been upheld and sporting and adminstrative sanctions would have been appropriate penalties imposed against Senegal. It’s a travesty of justice by the CAF Appeals Body.
“Anyway, let’s watch closely how CAS shall determine the imminent appeal by Senegal as the outcomes shall implicate various stakeholders in the football ecosystem.”
Chipping in, former Silver Strikers chief executive officer Thokozani Chimbali dismissed the ruling as embarrassing, insisting that Senegal remain champions “in the eyes of some of us”.
He also questioned the legitimacy of the newly-awarded title, suggesting that it diminishes the integrity of the competition.
The decision stems from CAF’s interpretation of regulations concerning teams that leave the field of play.
However, Chimbali argues that the regulation cannot apply in the Afcon final case since the match was not abandoned and went to the end.
He said: “I am not a lawyer, but I feel that Article 82 does not apply to the Senegal-Morocco situation, as play resumed after Senegal’s walkout. Essentially, I believe the game was not abandoned. The spirit of the authors of the rule seems to refer to a situation where a team leaves the pitch before the regular end of the match without returning, leading to complete abandonment.”
Football analyst George Chiusiwa described the outcome as a troubling moment for the sport, warning that such decisions risk eroding African football’s core principle of fair competition.
He said: “When football loses its essence and meaning of winning on merit, it becomes disturbing. The biggest loser here is football itself.”
