Making it clear who the champion is! Senegal paraded the AFCON trophy in celebration before their friendly match against Peru after the title was stripped and awarded to Morocco.
On 29 March 2026, the Senegal national team, led by captain Kalidou Koulibaly, paraded the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy around Stade de France ahead of their friendly match against Peru last Saturday, in front of more than 70,000 fans.
This act was a strong rebuke to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after their shocking decision on 17 March to strip Senegal of the championship, award them a 0-3 forfeit loss to Morocco, and hand the title to Morocco instead.
The controversy began during the final on 18 January 2026 in Morocco.
With the score tied at 0-0, the referee awarded a penalty to the host Morocco amid doubts.
Senegal players were deeply displeased and chose to "walk off the field" before eventually returning to continue the match.
Brahim Diaz missed the penalty, and in extra time, Pape Gueye scored the winning goal for Senegal, securing a 1-0 victory and the championship on the field.
However, two months later, CAF ruled in favor of Morocco's appeal, stating Senegal's walkout violated serious rules (Articles 82 and 84), thus imposing a forfeit loss and immediately changing the champion. Abdoulaye Fall, president of the Senegal Football Association, condemned the decision as "the most unjust administrative robbery in football history."
In this friendly match, Senegal not only paraded the trophy but also wore jerseys featuring two stars above the emblem, symbolizing their 2021 and 2025 championships.
Senegal defeated Peru 2-0 with goals from Ismaila Sarr and Nicolas Jackson.
Senegal has already appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), with the decision process expected to take several months or possibly up to a year.
After the game, Senegal head coach Pape Thiao said, "We know we are the African champions. Fans worldwide know who the champion is. The title should be decided on the pitch by skill, not in an air-conditioned room with a pen."
Morocco and CAF have yet to respond to Senegal's trophy parade.
