Senegal's Paris Parade: AFCON Glory Meets CAS Drama and a Very French Celebration

AFCON 2025 Final: Senegal's Celebration Plan in Paris Amid CAF Ruling

Despite CAF's appeals committee ruling that Morocco won administratively 3-0 in the AFCON 2025 final, Senegal, whose on-field victory stood at 1-0 after extra time, will celebrate the title the day after Saturday at Stade de France, ahead of a friendly against Peru.

The Senegalese Football Federation announced a formal trophy presentation ahead of the match, days after hesitation caused by CAF's decision. According to the federation's official program posted on Instagram, a grand ceremony is planned at 3:00 PM with several artists, and the trophy will be shown 45 minutes later, before the 5:00 PM kickoff.

Senegal won the title on January 18 after a chaotic final that included a disallowed Senegal goal and a Moroccan penalty late in the game. The match resumed after a stoppage, and a decisive goal by Babi Jay in extra time sealed Senegal's victory and their second AFCON title.

Last week CAF issued a surprising ruling declaring Morocco the winner on administrative grounds under articles 82 and 84 of the tournament rules. Since then, Senegalese players have insisted they won on the field, not through official channels.

In the days that followed, the federation invited fans to attend the friendly in France and urged them to book tickets while awaiting the CAS decision. A video later posted featured players inviting supporters to come, saying this is not just a game but a celebration of a people and a continent.

In a new development, the Court of Arbitration for Sport opened formal proceedings to hear Senegal's appeal against CAF and the Moroccan federation, with a final decision expected to determine the champion of the edition.

Read also: a discussion about the legal twists around the title and what it could mean for future AFCON editions. The saga continues as CAS prepares its ruling, leaving fans in suspense and the trophy at the center of a continental drama.

Punchline 1: If suspense were a sniper, this AFCON saga would still be waiting for the perfect angle in a café queue. Punchline 2: In football, the only thing sharper than a striker's shot is the rumor mill—it's aiming for the same target, but somehow misses even more dramatically.