The Confederation of African Football issued a formal response on January 15, 2026, addressing grievances raised by the Senegalese Football Federation following the controversial AFCON 2025 tournament hosted by Morocco. CAF President Patrice Motsepe acknowledged Senegal’s concerns over refereeing decisions, scheduling issues, and alleged bias in several matches, including the quarter-final loss to Morocco that eliminated the reigning champions.
In a detailed statement, CAF confirmed an independent review of key refereeing incidents involving Senegal and promised to publish a summary of findings by the end of February 2026. The governing body also committed to enhanced VAR training, stricter referee accountability measures, and improved communication with federations ahead of future tournaments.
Motsepe expressed regret over Senegal’s early exit and praised the team’s overall performance, while stressing that AFCON remains committed to fairness, transparency, and the highest standards of officiating.
The FSF welcomed the review but reiterated demands for clearer disciplinary processes and greater African representation in top refereeing appointments. Senegal’s coach Aliou Cissé and captain Kalidou Koulibaly had publicly criticized officiating after the Morocco match, fueling widespread debate across the continent.
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