Odegbami: Referee’s Restart Made Senegal’s AFCON 2025 Win Final

Nigerian football legend and columnist Segun Odegbami has strongly criticised the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for its unprecedented decision to overturn Senegal’s victory at the AFCON 2025 final and award the trophy to Morocco.

Writing in major Nigerian newspapers on Saturday, Odegbami described CAF’s Appeals Committee ruling as ‘bizarre, condemnable, unacceptable and totally unjustifiable.’

He argued that once the referee restarted the match after Senegal’s 17‑minute walk‑off protest, the game was concluded and the result should have been final.

Odegbami acknowledged Senegal’s breach of regulations when they left the pitch in protest of a late penalty, but insisted that the referee’s choice to resume play nullified any grounds for forfeiture.

‘The resumption has to be accepted. Morocco lost the penalty kick. Senegal scored an additional goal. The match ended. The CAF President as well as the FIFA President presented the winner with medals and the trophy… Under no circumstances can there be justification for a revisit of the incident again and revision of the decision by the referee,’ he wrote.

He compared the situation to past FIFA rulings on petitions, noting that while sanctions can follow infringements, reversing the outcome of a championship final after medals and trophies have been awarded is unprecedented and damaging to the credibility of the competition.

Odegbami concluded by urging CAF to reverse its ruling and restore Senegal as champions.

‘For now, I think CAF should reverse itself and return the victory to Senegal! Period!’