AFCON 2025: 'Morocco claimed a victory,' the revelations of Abdoulaye Sow

The scenario of the 2025 AFCON final will remain as one of the most electric in the history of African football in recent years. Between the contested decisions of the Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala and the electric atmosphere in the stands that ensued on scenes of violence, the final whistle was actually only the beginning of a second match, an administrative one.

Morocco asked for a defeat of Senegal by forfeiture
While Senegal celebrated its hard-won title, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) activated a strategy of "victory by offices". According to Abdoulaye Seydou Sow, Morocco did not simply contest the overflows, it demanded the outright cancellation of the Senegalese coronation in order to recover the coronation.

To weigh against CAF, Morocco did not skimp on the means, sending an armada of four lawyers. The stake? Prove that the Senegalese behavior amounted to an abandonment or a permanent interruption of the finals.

“The other request that was on the table was from Morocco. He wanted to base himself on the rules of the African Cup of Nations, notably on articles 82 and 84, to claim a victory on green carpet, no matter that Senegal has returned to the field,"

 explains the president of AS Kaffrine.

“Our lawyer defended our position by explaining the disciplinary code of article 146... Now, Senegal began and ended. So, we could not talk about a defeat on green carpet"

 hammered the general secretary of the FSF.

«We did not deny the facts»
Faced with this offensive, the Senegalese Football Federation played the card of sobriety and apparent humility, while remaining intractable on the law. Accompanied by only one counsel, Master Seydou Diagne, the delegation had to view the images of tension involving Pape Thiaw, Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaïla Sarr.

“We did not deny the facts. We recognized our fault, our mistake, but we explained to them the circumstances and why we got here,

" says Abdoulaye Sow.

Senegal, on the other hand, counterattacked by presenting evidence of external pressure, notably videos showing goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf "harassed by ball boys" and Senegalese supporters "hit by security". A strategy that according to the leader made it possible to move the file on Article 146 of the disciplinary code: Senegal having technically finished the match, talks of forfeiture legally impossible in their eyes.


If the Moroccan request was rejected, the price of anger is high. Senegal receives a record fine of 615,000 dollars and loses momentum for the start of the next rounds: Pape Thiaw, suspended for 5 matches, as well as Ismaïla Sarr and Iliman Ndiaye who will miss 2 games.

Despite what he describes as an injustice regarding Ismaïla Sarr («He did nothing, it must have ended with a yellow card»), Abdoulaye Seydou Sow confirmed that Senegal would not appeal. The objective on the FSF’s side is to turn the page to close this chapter in order to avoid a new procedure.

"The essential thing is there, it’s about the cup. No one can question the trophy or the match. The story stops there," concluded the Senegalese leader.