Senegal parade Afcon trophy despite title controversy

Senegal paraded the Africa Cup of Nations trophy before Saturday’s friendly match against Peru at Stade de France – despite being stripped of the title earlier this month

Morocco were declared the winners of the 2025 Afcon tournament when the Confederation of African Football (Caf) overturned the result of January’s final.

Senegal’s players left the field in protest when, with the score at 0-0, hosts Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty.

Senegal paraded the Africa Cup of Nations trophy before Saturday’s friendly match against Peru at Stade de France – despite being stripped of the title earlier this month

Morocco were declared the winners of the 2025 Afcon tournament when the Confederation of African Football (Caf) overturned the result of January’s final.

Senegal’s players left the field in protest when, with the score at 0-0, hosts Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty.

When they returned after a delay of about 17 minutes, Morocco subsequently failed to score the spot-kick and Senegal netted an extra-time winner.

Following an appeal by the Moroccan FA (FRMF), Caf later ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match and Morocco were awarded a 3-0 victory.

Senegal have lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for  Sport (Cas), which has said it will rule on the matter “as swiftly as possible”. Before the match against Peru, captain Kalidou Koulibaly and his team-mates entered the pitch with the Afcon  trophy for a lap of honour, before Koulibaly and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy went up to the stadium’s presidential box to place the trophy there.

Senegal also played in a kit with two stars above their badge to signify having won two Afcon titles – the disputed 2025 tournament and their previous 2021 title. They beat Peru 2-0 following goals from Nicolas Jackson, who is on loan at Bayern Munich from Chelsea, and Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr.

The friendly in Paris was Senegal’s first match since the Afcon final and forms part of their preparations for the World Cup, which starts in June.

They have been drawn in the same group as France, Norway and either Bolivia or Iraq.