Africa Cup of Nations trophy presentation to take place before Senegal friendly despite title being stripped

The Senegalese Football Federation is also appealing last week's decision by the CAF's appeal board to rescind their title and award it to Morocco, deeming that Senegal forfeited the match during a lengthy stoppage

Senegal will present the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations trophy before Saturday's friendly against Peru, doing so a week after the CAF appeals board rescinded their title and awarded it to Morocco after deeming that Senegal violated tournament rules.

The African team announced Thursday that there will be a 15-minute trophy presentation before the game at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris. It marks Senegal's latest rejection of the CAF's decision, including a formal appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

A six-person legal team hosted a press conference on Thursday in Paris, confirming not only the appeal to CAS but also that the Senegalese Football Federation will file a corruption complaint against five individuals, though not against the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. The legal team claimed that Morocco had asked for "the medals, the prize money, the rewards" of winning the title in their initial appeal, filed shortly after the AFCON final in January, but argued they are not required to do so.

"To reassure the supporters, the fans and those who believe in the right to justice and to the protection of sporting discipline values of football, do not worry," Seydou Diagne, a member of the legal team, said. "There is no decision today from CAF or its appeals jury that orders the Senegalese Football Federation or the national team to return their medals or to return the trophy on the pitch, those decisions do not exist."

Senegal's lawyers have asked CAS to expedite the process, which they expect to take nine to 12 months if the timeline is not altered.

In January, the AFCON final descended into chaos when hosts Morocco were awarded a penalty in the dying minutes of the match. Senegal's team left the pitch, causing an 18-minute delay before Brahim Diaz stepped up to take it, though he was unable to convert. The match then went to extra time and Pape Gueye went on to score the game's lone goal in the 94th minute, paving the way for Senegal to be crowned champions.

Morocco's subsequent appeal argued that Senegal forfeited the match when the team walked off the pitch, something the CAF appeals board agreed with when they announced their decision earlier this month.

Both Senegal and Morocco are completing their final schedule of matches before the World Cup. Senegal will face France, Norway and the winner of an intercontinental playoff between Bolivia, Suriname and Iraq in Group I, while Morocco will take on Brazil, Scotland and Haiti in Group C.