The decision of the CAF Appeal Board regarding the AFCON 2025 final between Morocco and Senegal has sparked significant legal debate within international sports law. In an analysis authored by Kwesi Nyantakyi, former President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and former First Vice President of CAF, the ruling is described as inconsistent with CAF regulations, contrary to FIFA Laws of the Game, and at odds with established Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) jurisprudence.
Nyantakyi argues that the decision undermines legal certainty, proportionality, and sporting integrity, while also setting a troubling precedent for African football governance.
Legal Framework of Football Governance
Football governance operates under a structured legal framework, including the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Regulations, CAF Disciplinary Code, FIFA Disciplinary Code (2023 Edition), and FIFA Laws of the Game. These instruments are harmonized through CAS, the ultimate authority for international sports dispute resolution.
The CAF Appeal Board ruling in Morocco v Senegal represents a significant departure from these established norms. Nyantakyi’s analysis examines the decision through three key lenses:
- Misapplication of CAF Regulations
- Violation of Law 5 of the FIFA Laws of the Game
- Implications for the integrity of football
Misapplication of CAF Regulations
Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON Regulations govern exceptional situations such as withdrawal from competition, refusal to play, or abandonment of a match. They impose automatic sanctions, including forfeiture (3–0) and elimination. Nyantakyi argues that these rules apply only when the factual threshold is clearly met.
In the Morocco-Senegal final, the match experienced only a temporary disruption. Players returned, play resumed, and the referee, Jean-Jacques Ndala, formally concluded the game. According to the analysis, this scenario does not meet the regulatory standard for abandonment, and the CAF Appeal Board’s decision represents an excess of jurisdiction.
Violation of FIFA Law 5
Law 5 of the FIFA Laws of the Game confirms that a referee’s decisions on matters of play are final, including match completion and disciplinary actions. CAS has consistently upheld this principle, emphasizing that match outcomes may only be overturned in exceptional circumstances. In this case, Nyantakyi asserts, CAF lacked authority to reinterpret the referee’s factual determination.
Integrity, Proportionality, and Legal Certainty
Nyantakyi highlights that the Appeal Board’s decision undermines sporting integrity by introducing uncertainty into competition results. CAS jurisprudence stresses that sanctions must be proportionate to the offence, and that legal certainty is essential to maintain public confidence and institutional credibility. Imposing forfeiture on a completed match violates these principles.
Implications for African Football Governance
The ruling risks:
- Weakening referee authority
- Undermining regulatory consistency
- Creating uncertainty in competition outcomes
These actions could erode public trust, institutional credibility, and commercial partnerships.
Recommendations
- CAF should review or reconsider the ruling, adhering strictly to FIFA Laws of the Game, the CAF Disciplinary Code, and CAS jurisprudence.
- CAF should provide interpretative guidance on match abandonment, player protests, and disciplinary thresholds.
- Senegal should seek CAS intervention to overturn the legally defective decision and restore the match result.
Nyantakyi concludes that the correct approach would have been to uphold the match result while addressing any misconduct through targeted disciplinary measures, preserving the integrity of African football and the credibility of CAF’s regulatory framework.