U20 AFCON: Senegal contest Tunisia's participation
With days to go before the U20 AFCON kicks off, the Senegalese Football Federation is condemning Tunisia's participation as illegitimate
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The 2025 U20 AFCON is proving a real headache for the Confederation of African Football. With less than two weeks to go before kick-off, fresh controversy is rocking the tournament behind the scenes. It is now scheduled to take place in Egypt from 26 April to 18 May after Ivory Coast withdrew. At the heart of the row is the unexpected addition of Tunisia to the list of participants, even though the country had neither qualified on the pitch nor been named as host.
Read also: U20 AFCON: what could Ivory Coast face after their withdrawal?
The decision, ratified by CAF at the fresh draw held after Central African Republic were brought in as a replacement for Congo, who have been suspended, has angered the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF). Wiwsport reports that, in a letter sent to CAF general secretary Véron Mosengo-Omba on 11 April 2025 (48 hours before the fresh draw), the FSF condemned a " flagrant violation of the statutes and regulations " of the governing body.
A decision deemed unfair and unethical
"Such a measure would be taken in flagrant violation of the sacrosanct principles that govern competitions: ethics, sporting fairness and equality between federations ", the letter, seen by the Senegalese outlet, states. The FSF insists that Tunisia did not earn their place on the pitch, unlike the other nations who qualified through the zonal competitions.
Senegal, the reigning African champions at this level, fear the decision will undermine the fairness of the tournament, which also serves as a qualifier for the FIFA U20 World Cup. With Tunisia's inclusion, the U20 AFCON also goes from 12 to 13 teams, with Group A now made up of 5. "It would seriously harm the teams who have earned, on sporting merit and legitimately, the right to take part in this AFCON ", the federation said.
Threat of appeal to FIFA and CAS
Faced with this situation, the FSF does not intend to leave it there. It is threatening to take the matter to the highest bodies, notably FIFA or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), if CAF persists in keeping Tunisia in.
Finally, the Senegalese federation is demanding that the issue be formally placed on the agenda of CAF's next Executive Committee meeting, scheduled for Accra on 26 April, the very day the tournament opens. It reasserts its total opposition to any change to the format or number of participants if the aim is to satisfy " an unfounded and illegitimate request ".
The U20 AFCON groups
Group A: Egypt, Zambia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania
Group B: Nigeria, Tunisia, Kenya, Morocco
Group C: Senegal, Central African Republic, DR Congo, Ghana