Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe has reaffirmed his commitment to upholding the independence of football governance structures, following the controversial decision to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Motsepe said he respects the ruling delivered by CAF’s Appeal Board, which overturned an earlier decision and declared Morocco as the new champions of the tournament.

“I’ve been informed of the ruling by the CAF Appeal Board concerning the appeal by Morocco relating to the AFCON Morocco 2025 final match. I previously expressed my extreme disappointment with the incidents that took place at the final match,” said Motsepe.

The ruling stems from the dramatic January 18 final in Rabat, where chaotic scenes led to disciplinary action against both teams. Initially, CAF’s Disciplinary Committee had upheld Senegal’s victory while imposing heavy fines on both Senegal and Morocco.

However, the Appeal Board reached a different conclusion, reversing the earlier outcome and awarding the title to Morocco — a decision that has since ignited debate across the global football community.

Motsepe acknowledged the differing rulings within CAF structures, emphasizing the importance of due process and the right to appeal.

“The CAF Disciplinary Board took one decision. The CAF Appeals Board took a totally different position. I’m told that Senegal is going to appeal, which is very important,” he noted.

Senegal has since confirmed plans to escalate the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), football’s highest legal authority, in a bid to overturn the Appeal Board’s verdict.

Motsepe welcomed the move, stressing that all 54 CAF member associations have the right to seek justice through established legal channels.

“Every one of the 54 nations in Africa has a right to pursue their appeals and their advanced interests, not only at the highest level in Africa, in CAF, but also in the highest body, which is the CAS. We will adhere to and respect the decision that’s taken at the highest level,” he added.

The case is now set to shift to Switzerland, where CAS will review the matter and deliver a final, binding ruling that could either uphold Morocco’s newly awarded title or reinstate Senegal as champions.

As the legal battle looms, the Appeal Board’s decision continues to draw mixed reactions, with fans, analysts, and stakeholders divided over the handling of one of the most contentious AFCON finals in recent history.