Patrice Motsepe, CAF president, arrived in Dakar late Tuesday, welcomed by Abdoulaye Fall, head of Senegal’s football federation (FSF). According to a CAF statement, Motsepe will first visit Gorée Island before meeting Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. He will hold a press conference Wednesday at 5:30 PM to address critical football issues in Africa, including the contentious CAN 2025 title decision.
a high-stakes visit for diplomatic reassurance
Motsepe announced in late March his intention to visit both Senegal and Morocco to emphasize the need to “work together to develop African football,” following severe criticism of the CAF after its Appeals Committee controversially awarded the 2025 African Cup of Nations title to Morocco instead of Senegal, despite Senegal’s on-field victory. The Senegalese Football Federation has since filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), with a ruling expected in the coming months.
The visit comes during heightened tensions. On March 18, Senegal’s government called for an international investigation into “suspicions of corruption within the governing bodies” of the CAF. In response, Motsepe stated that no African nation receives preferential treatment, praising the independence of CAF’s disciplinary bodies.