Football Must Be Decided on the Pitch: Senegal, CAS, AFCON – How Senegal Retains Cup Irrespective of CAS Ruling

My understanding is that Senegal has taken its case to retain the African Cup of Nations trophy to the global apex body for sports disputes, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). I am confident that CAS will uphold fairness and allow Senegal to keep the trophy, enjoying all the privileges that come with it until the next tournament cycle.

However, if CAS rules in favor of Morocco and instructs Senegal to return the trophy, then Senegal should comply, but not without consequence. It should immediately seek redress from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the time and effort expended in a match that would, by such a ruling, be rendered meaningless, in part. If CAF recognizes the restarted and completed game as invalid, then that period becomes unpaid, voided labor.

In that context, Senegal would be justified in pursuing compensation. And one form of compensation could be the allocation of the 2026 AFCON hosting or title rights, an equitable remedy for the disruption and inconsistency. Get one judge in Dakar and rule because this is an extraordinary matter; you cannot allow those men to have played for free, and the only compensation is the CUP. Yes, CAF, “go to court” as we say in Nigeria!

Simply put, the trophy belongs to Senegal because the match was played to completion on the pitch. Football must be decided on the field, not overturned by technicalities. And if, for any reason, that principle is ignored, then fairness demands that Senegal be fully compensated, even to the extent of being granted the 2026 AFCON Cup. A judge in Dakar has the “power” to impose that fine, and it would be up to CAF to “go to court”!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.

Sausa, ex-football strategist, Secondary Technical School Ovim

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