Sadio Mane has slammed CAF’s decision to strip Senegal of their Africa Cup of Nations title, calling it “not the football we fight for.”

The Senegalese forward voiced his disappointment on Instagram after the Appeals Committee ruled against his team over their 17-minute walk-off in the final against Morocco on 18th January, 2026.

Senegal initially won 1-0 in extra time, but CAF on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, declared the walk-off as a breach of tournament rules.

Article 82 states that if a team leaves the field without the referee’s authorisation, it will be considered the loser and eliminated.

Senegal responds to CAF over 2025 AFCON win nullification

The Senegalese Football Federation has vowed to appeal the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, describing it as “unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable.”

Mane took to his Instagram page to slam the African football regulatory body.

“What happened has gone too far. This is not the football we fight for, not the Africa we believe in. There is too much corruption in our game, and it’s killing the passion of millions of fans across the continent. Players give everything on the pitch, but decisions off it are deciding matches and trophies. I’m deeply disappointed not just for Senegal, but for African football as a whole. We deserve better. The fans deserve fairness, transparency, and respect.”

FKA/JE

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