Following the Appeal Committee’s decision awarding victory to Morocco, the CAF president stressed the independence of judicial bodies and the need to restore trust.
After the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal Committee awarded Morocco a default victory in the AFCON 2025 final, Patrice Motsepe broke his silence. In a video statement released on March 18, 2026, the CAF president defended the credibility of the judicial process while acknowledging the shortcomings that affected the match.
Reflecting on the events, Motsepe recalled having expressed his "deep disappointment” at the time over the incidents that occurred during the final. According to him, these failures undermine the efforts made in recent years by CAF to ensure integrity, ethics, and the reliability of sporting results. He also pointed to a deeper issue: the persistent mistrust surrounding the institution, which he considers a structural legacy that must be overcome.
In response to these challenges, the CAF president highlighted the composition of the Confederation’s judicial bodies. He emphasized that members of the disciplinary and appeal committees are selected from among highly respected judges and legal experts drawn from the six zones of the continent, thus representing all 54 member associations. For him, the divergence between successive decisions does not reflect weakness, but rather demonstrates genuine independence.
Motsepe also reaffirmed a central principle of African football governance: "Not a single country in Africa will be treated in a more preferential, advantageous, or favorable manner than another.” A statement aimed at reassuring stakeholders amid heightened tensions and public criticism.
Finally, the CAF president indicated that corrective measures had already been initiated to address the shortcomings identified during the final. The objective is clear: to ensure that CAF’s judicial decisions are perceived as fair, credible, and impartial by football fans across the continent—an essential condition for restoring lasting confidence in African competitions.