Former World and African Footballer of the Year George Weah has strongly criticised Confederation of African Football for its controversial decision to strip Senegal national football team of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and award it to Morocco national football team.

Weah described the ruling as a damaging blow to the credibility of African football, arguing that it undermines trust in fairness, consistency, and the integrity of the game across the continent.

The controversy stems from the AFCON final in Rabat on January 18, where Senegal briefly walked off the pitch in protest following contentious refereeing decisions, including a disallowed goal and a penalty awarded to Morocco. Despite the incident, play resumed under the referee’s authority, with Senegal eventually securing a 1-0 victory after extra time.

However, CAF’s appeal board later overturned the result, awarding Morocco a 3-0 win on disciplinary grounds linked to Senegal’s conduct during the match.

Weah challenged the decision by referencing football’s governing principles, particularly the authority of the referee during a match. He insisted that once a game is completed under the referee’s supervision, its outcome should stand.

According to him, the referee’s post-match report classified the incident as a temporary stoppage rather than a forfeiture, suggesting that any punishment should have been limited to sanctions rather than altering the final result.

Weah further dismissed circulating social media claims suggesting he supported CAF’s decision, clarifying that such reports were false and misleading.

The former Liberian president has backed Senegal’s move to appeal the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, urging the body to act decisively to correct what he described as a miscarriage of justice.

Meanwhile, the controversy has triggered wider reactions, including unfounded reports linking Guinea national football team to a potential claim over the 1976 AFCON title. The Guinean Football Federation has since firmly denied any such intentions, distancing itself from the speculation.