Senegal holds AFCON trophy in military base, causing shock

A viral social media video is unsettling fans as it shows Senegal's head coach, Pape Thiaw, appearing at a military facility with the AFCON trophy. However, the authenticity of this clip has yet been verified.

This development emerged following the controversial decision by the African Football Confederation (CAF) on March 17, when it stripped Senegal of the AFCON 2025 title and reinstated the championship to Morocco. According to some unverified information, the trophy was transferred to a military base for protection.

The situation quickly escalated as the circulating video shows Coach Pape Thiaw standing surrounded by individuals presumed to be armed soldiers, holding the championship trophy. If this information is accurate, it would be an unprecedented image in African football history, indicating Senegal is not ready to relinquish the title.

The controversy stems from the AFCON 2025 final held in Rabat earlier this year. In the closing minutes, Morocco was awarded a highly disputed penalty, prompting fierce reactions from Senegal. Coach Thiaw demanded his players leave the field to protest, causing a 14-minute interruption of the match.

Although Senegal later returned to play and secured a 1-0 victory in extra time, CAF's disciplinary committee ruled the walk-off as an abandonment. The match result was annulled and Morocco was awarded a 3-0 win, thereby claiming the championship. Following the incident, Coach Thiaw was fined $100,000 and suspended, with potential for further penalties in the future.

Currently, many doubts surround the viral video. Some sources suggest it might be footage from earlier celebration events, rather than the latest development. Additionally, there is no official confirmation whether the individuals in the video are indeed soldiers.

The Senegal Football Federation has confirmed it will appeal CAF's decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne. While awaiting proceedings, the trophy remains in Senegal, and this story is predicted to unfold with further complexities.