The head of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, is conducting an official visit to Dakar this Wednesday. His arrival occurs nearly a month after the controversial decision to strip Sénégal of its AFCON 2025 winner status in favour of Maroc, a move that ignited widespread frustration and anger throughout the nation.
Welcomed late Tuesday night in the capital by Abdoulaye Fall, the president of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), the CAF leader has a busy schedule. According to an official press release, Patrice Motsepe will first tour Gorée Island before holding a high-level meeting with the Senegalese President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye. A press conference is slated for 5:30 PM this Wednesday to address several burning issues in African football, including the dispute over the AFCON 2025 trophy.
A diplomatic visit seeking to restore calm
At the end of March, Patrice Motsepe had signaled his intention to visit both Sénégal and Maroc to highlight the necessity of collective effort for the continent’s football development. This mission comes as the CAF faces intense heat following the appeals committee’s decision to reassign the title. In response, the FSF has officially lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which is expected to deliver a verdict in the coming months.
This visit by the most powerful figure in African football takes place in a highly charged atmosphere. On March 18, the government of Sénégal demanded an international inquiry into potential corruption within the pan-African body’s leadership. Patrice Motsepe has since defended his administration, claiming that no country receives “preferential treatment” and insisting on the total “independence” of the organization’s legal and disciplinary arms.
