African football’s governing body, the Confederation of African Football (Caf), has been thrown into a deep credibility crisis following a controversial decision to reassign the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title, a conflict that has now put the issue of systemic corruption within the organisation under the global spotlight. In a high-profile visit to Dakar this week, Caf president Patrice Motsepe made an unprecedented statement: he fully welcomes and actively encourages any independent investigation into corrupt practices at the organisation, regardless of whether the probe is launched by a national government, international regulatory body, or any other third party.
The controversy that triggered this moment traces back to the January 18 Afcon final held in Rabat. Senegal’s national team originally claimed a 1-0 victory over Morocco after extra time, securing what would have been their second consecutive continental title. The match was derailed by controversy, however, when referee awarded a last-minute stoppage-time penalty to Morocco. In protest, multiple Senegal players walked off the pitch, causing a 17-minute suspension of play. When the match finally resumed, Morocco striker Brahim Diaz’s penalty was saved by Senegal’s goalkeeper, and Senegal held on to win.
Two months later, on March 17, Caf’s internal appeals board issued a shock ruling: it stripped Senegal of their title, forfeited the match and awarded the trophy to Morocco. The decision prompted immediate outcry from the Senegalese government, which formally called for a full independent corruption investigation into Caf over the ruling. Senegal has since appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas), football’s highest global judicial body, and is currently awaiting a final ruling. The controversy already led to one major casualty: former Caf general secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba stepped down from his post less than two weeks after the appeals board decision, amid growing pressure over the governing body’s handling of the crisis.
During his Wednesday meeting with Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and senior leaders of the Senegalese Football Federation, Motsepe doubled down on his stated commitment to rooting out corruption, calling it the most destructive force across African society. “Corruption is worse than Covid and cancer,” Motsepe told reporters at a Dakar press briefing. “We have a clear duty to every football fan across the African continent. If any government or institution wants to launch an investigation, please go ahead. We will provide full and complete cooperation. In fact, I encourage you to do it.”
Motsepe, who was re-elected for a second four-year term as Caf president in March 2024, also stressed that he would never hide evidence of wrongdoing within the organisation. “I know there have been widespread reports of deep-rooted corruption issues in Caf’s past, and we have already taken steps to intervene,” he said. “Football cannot set a bad example for young people. We cannot allow the next generation to think that corruption is the way to get ahead. Putting strong anti-corruption rules in place and enforcing them honestly is the greatest gift we can give African football.”
Consistent with his previous public comments, Motsepe declined to comment on the ongoing Senegal-Morocco dispute that is now before Cas, noting that the governing body is legally and ethically bound to respect the court’s final decision. “You can ask me the same question 100 times, and I will give you the same answer 100 times,” he told BBC Afrique. “Cas is the highest decision-making authority in global football, and it is the obligation of Caf to wait for its ruling and implement it fully when it arrives.”
Motsepe also addressed a separate lingering issue from the final: the imprisonment of 18 Senegalese football fans by Moroccan authorities in the wake of post-match disturbances. He confirmed that the matter is currently being handled through official diplomatic channels between the two countries, with Caf facilitating communication between the two sides.
After concluding his meetings in Dakar, Motsepe traveled directly to Morocco on Wednesday evening. He is scheduled to meet with Moroccan Football Federation president Fouzi Lekjaa and senior Moroccan government officials on Thursday, followed by another public press conference to address the controversy.