Patrice Motsepe Sends Message to Senegal Over Amid 2025 Controversy: 'We Are With You'

Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe has called for unity amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the Africa Cup of Nations final, which was awarded to Morocco after Senegal walked off the pitch.

Speaking after a CAF Executive Committee meeting, Motsepe addressed the recent turmoil, particularly Senegal's decision to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

"We must turn the page and continue to work to develop football," Patrice Motsepe stated as quoted by Goal.com.

"We must support every nation competing in the World Cup. My message to the Senegalese is: we are with you, we support you. We are all Africans."

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He emphasised that the same message of solidarity was extended to Morocco, highlighting the strong ties between the two nations.

"Many Senegalese people live in Morocco," Patrice Motsepe added. "We will not use football to divide people; it must serve to unite us."

Patrice Motsepe confirmed he plans to visit Senegal in the coming weeks but refrained from commenting on the pending legal challenge. He made it clear that CAF would abide by the court's final verdict.

"Whatever the CAS decides, we will respect it," he affirmed, committing the confederation to honour the ruling on the disputed title.

The controversy began when CAF awarded the Africa Cup of Nations trophy to Morocco. The decision came after the Senegalese team abandoned the final in protest over a penalty awarded to the Moroccan side.

In response to Senegal's walk-out, CAF released a statement detailing the regulations that had been violated, which it cited as the basis for its decision to hand the victory to Morocco.

The Senegalese Football Federation subsequently escalated the matter by lodging an appeal with the CAS, seeking to overturn CAF's ruling and reclaim the title they believe was won on the field.