AFCON news: Stripped of the title and now banned? Senegal facing devastating double blow

The shockwaves from the CAF's decision continue to reverberate across African football. Having annulled Senegal's victory over Morocco in the 2025 AFCON final and awarded the title to the Atlas Lions on a 3-0 walkover ruling, the governing body has opened a Pandora's box. Now, another potential decision could trigger an even greater storm.

A possible exclusion under the regulations

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A specific clause in the CAF rulebook is fuelling fresh concern. Article 59 states that a team declared to have forfeited a match could be excluded from the next edition of the competition.

In this case, the sanction handed to Senegal is effectively equivalent to an administrative forfeit. If this provision is applied strictly, the Lions of Teranga could theoretically be barred from AFCON 2027, which is set to be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

It remains a hypothetical scenario for now — but one that, if confirmed, would represent a seismic moment for football across the continent.

A double punishment that is hard to accept

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Having already been stripped of a title won on the pitch, a potential exclusion would amount to an extraordinarily severe double penalty for Senegal.

The Senegalese Football Federation has no intention of letting the matter rest. An appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is expected, with the federation determined to challenge a decision it considers unjust and disproportionate.

In this climate, a suspension from AFCON 2027 would only inflame an already explosive situation further.

At this stage, no official decision has been announced regarding a potential exclusion. How the regulation will be interpreted and applied in practice remains unclear.

Should such an exclusion be confirmed, it would set a historic precedent with far-reaching consequences for football across the African continent.