Mane Breaks Silence After CAF Strips Senegal of AFCON Title, Awards it to Morocco

Sadio Mane has broken his silence after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) stripped Senegal of the AFCON 2025 title and awarded it to Morocco.

The Al Nassr FC forward, who previously played for Liverpool FC, issued a statement on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, expressing his frustration over the decision.

Mane said the situation had “gone too far,” noting that what happened does not reflect the kind of football or Africa players believe in.

“What happened has gone too far. This is not the football we fight for, not the Africa we believe in,” said Mane.

Sadio Mane Expresses Frustration Over CAF Ruling

He also raised concerns about corruption in the game, saying it is affecting millions of fans across the continent.

The Senegalese star added that while players give their all on the pitch, decisions made off the field are now determining matches and trophies.

Also Read: Hakimi Banned, Senegal Coach Suspended as CAF Delivers Verdict on AFCON Final

Mane further expressed disappointment, saying the issue goes beyond Senegal and affects African football as a whole. He insisted that players and fans deserve fairness, transparency, and respect.

His remarks came after CAF announced its final ruling on the controversial AFCON 2025 final.

In a detailed statement, CAF said the decision followed an appeal by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF).

“The appeal lodged by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) is declared admissible in form and the appeal is upheld,” read part of the statement.

Why CAF Stripped Senegal of AFCON Title and Awarded It to Morocco

CAF said that after reviewing the case, it found that Senegal breached competition rules during the final match, including an incident where the team reportedly walked off the pitch before the game was properly concluded.

According to CAF, such actions fall under serious violations of tournament regulations.

Because of this, the Appeal Board ruled that Senegal should forfeit the match, meaning they automatically lost the game regardless of what had happened on the pitch before the walkout.

Also Read: CAF Speaks Out After Morocco vs Senegal Penalty and Disallowed Goal Drama

As a result, the match was awarded to Morocco with a 3–0 scoreline, officially handing them the AFCON 2025 title.

CAF also backed the protest filed by Morocco and confirmed that the actions of the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF) went against the rules of the competition.

“The Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the match,” CAF said.

The ruling also touched on a few issues involving the Moroccan team. Ismaël Saibari was punished for misconduct and given a two-match ban, although one match will not be enforced unless he repeats the offence. A fine of USD 100,000 (Ksh12,955,000) against him was removed.

CAF also fined Morocco over the behaviour of ball boys, but reduced the amount to USD 50,000 (Ksh 6,477,500). Another fine of USD 100,000(Ksh12,955,000) linked to interference near the VAR area was maintained, while a separate fine over a laser incident was reduced to USD 10,000 (Ksh 1,295,500).

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