When governing body officials the Africa Cup of Nations title to Morocco, overturning Senegal’s victory two months after the chaotic final, football fans were stunned.

The impact of the decision could spread beyond sport and weaken the bond between the nations.

While Moroccan fans took to the streets to celebrate their team’s belated success, the decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) was met with disbelief in Senegal, with fans and authorities calling the decision “unjust”.

Senegal’s government on Wednesday said it will pursue “all appropriate legal avenues” to overturn the decision and called for an international investigation into “suspected corruption” within African football’s governing body.

The Senegal Football Federation (FSF) then announced on Thursday that it had instructed lawyers, aparently carrying through its threat to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Such a move could lead to a yearlong legal battle before a ruling.

CAF’s appeals board on Tuesday ruled that Senegal forfeited the final by leaving the field of play without the referee’s authorisation, and it awarded Morocco a default 3-0 win.

The game was delayed for 14 minutes as most of the Senegalese players and staff returned to their dressing room, while Senegal fans battled stewards behind one of the goals in protest against a controversial penalty call for Morocco after Senegal had a goal ruled out.

The players returned, Morocco missed the penalty, and Senegal won the match 1-0 in extra time.

Morocco and Senegal have long shared close ties built on religion, trade and culture. Tijaniyyah, a Sufi Muslim order, is widely followed in both countries. Moroccan banks and companies heavily invest in Senegal’s finance and agriculture sectors. Cultural exchanges include student programs, migration and joint festivals.

But the tensions surrounding the final and CAF’s appeals court decision to overturn Senegal’s victory have put a strain on the relationship between the two countries.

Last month, 18 Senegal fans who were arrested on charges of hooliganism at the final were given prison terms of up to a year by a Moroccan court. The Senegalese government has expressed solidarity with the Senegalese supporters.

Seydina Issa Laye Diop, president of the Senegalese national team’s fan group called “12th Gainde”, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the incidents should not damage the relationship between Senegal and Morocco.

“However, there are limits: if this continues, it could somewhat affect the pride of the Senegalese people,” Diop said. “If the goal is to preserve friendship, then it must be nurtured. Small gestures can have a big impact. These are things we can move past, especially since, during the trial, no solid argument has justified the continued detention of these supporters.”

Mariama Ndeye, a student in Senegal’s capital Dakar, said the decision has negatively affected her view of Moroccans.

“When everything goes well, they call us their brothers. But when things don’t go their way, they start being nasty,” Ndeye said.

Politics and sport are rarely separated as Senegal and Morocco find out

On Wednesday, Morocco’s embassy in Dakar called on Moroccans in Senegal to “demonstrate restraint, vigilance, and a sense of responsibility.”

“It is important to recall that, in all circumstances, it is only a match, the outcome of which should never justify any form of escalation or excessive remarks between brotherly peoples,” the embassy said.

While the dispute has remained centred around the football match, bad feelings have spread more generally.

In Casablanca, home appliances business owner Ismail Fnani said he felt like other African countries were rooting against Morocco during the final.

“Honestly, my views toward Senegalese and sub-Saharan Africans changed after this,” he said. “We used to feel sympathy and help them because they were migrants who had struggled to get here. Where there was once sympathy and compassion, now I will treat them as they have treated us.”

Mohamed el-Arabi, who works in a grocery shop in Casablanca, said he did not celebrate the decision awarding Morocco the title.

“We would have preferred it to stay with Senegal because it doesn’t feel right otherwise,” El Arabi said.

“People here have started hating Senegalese. They no longer provide them with help. We used to be like brothers, especially since they are Muslims like us, but that is no longer the case,” he added.

African football thrust into spotlight as CAF face accusations

The Senegalese government’s allegation of suspected corruption” at CAF followed anger at perceived favouritism towards Morocco, which is a 2030 World Cup co-host and has invested heavily to become a football superpower.

On Wednesday, CAF President Patrice Motsepe defended the body against perceptions of favouritism towards Morocco.

“Not a single country in Africa will be treated in a manner that is more preferential, or more advantageous, or more favourable than any other country on the African continent,” Motsepe said in a video published on the CAF website.

[Aljazeera]

Every team in Fifa’s women’s football tournaments must include at least one female head coach or assistant coach following the introduction of new regulations.

The requirements will come into effect during the under-17s and under-20s Women’s World Cup and Women’s Champions Cup competitions this year.

The decision was made at the Fifa Council on Thursday, and discussed the long-term strategy of female representation in coaching.

Under the new ruling, at least two staff members on the bench of every team at matches must be female, with one in an assistant coach or head coach role.

The rule applies to all youth and senior tournaments, including clubs and national teams.

At the 2023 Women’s World Cup, 12 of the 32 head coaches were female, including England manager Sarina Wiegman.

“There are simply not enough women in coaching today. We must do more to accelerate change by creating clearer pathways, expanding opportunities, and increasing the visibility for women on our sidelines,” said Fifa’s chief football officer Jill Ellis.

“The new Fifa regulations, combined with targeted development programmes, mark an important investment in the current and future generation of female coaches.”

Fifa hopes these new regulations will see a rapid increase in female representation, including at the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Among some of the most high-profile female coaches is London-born Emma Hayes, who is joined by assistant Denise Reddy at the United States.

In 2024, Hayes told BBC Sport that a lack of female coaches in English football is “a massive issue” and urged the game’s administrators to “come up with more creative ways” to address it.

Other female English coaches at international level include Gemma Grainger at Norway, Casey Stoney at Canada and Carla Ward at the Republic of Ireland.

Canadian Rhian Wilkinson led Wales to their first major tournament at Euro 2025 last summer, while Dutchwoman Wiegman has guided England to back-to-back European titles and has been named the Fifa best women’s coach of the year on four occasions.

Wiegman was the only female coach in the quarter-final stage of the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

(BBC)

MCA – FAIRFIRST ‘F’ DIVISION 20 OVER LEAGUE TOURNAMENT 2026

HNB Assurance will go all out to emerge undefeated champs and take home the ‘Fairfirst Trophy’ when they take on McLarens Group in the finals of the 8th MCA – Fairfirst ‘F’ Division 20 over League Cricket tournament scheduled to be played at the CCC ground at 2.00pm today [20th March]. The game which was originally planned to be played under lights is being played as a day game due to the previling fuel crisis. The third place game between MAS Active and Ansell Lanka will commence at 9.45a.m.

HNB Assurance, the only undefeated team in the tournament beat E B Creasy by 111 runs, Pizza Hut by 8 wickets, Attire Pvt Limited by 27 runs, Commercial Credit by 44 runs and Sitrek Group by 88 runs to lead group D and enter the knock out stage of the tournament. In the knock out stage they defeated Commercial Bank ‘B’ by 118 runs in the pre-quarter final, PABC by 6 wickets in the quarter-final and Ansell Lanka by 28 runs in the semi-final to qualify for the final.

McLarence Group Team

McLarens Group, playing in group A lost to Aitkin Spence by 66 runs but led their group having defeated Softlogic Life by 44 runs, PABC by 46 runs, Astron Lanka by 24 runs and Metropolitan Group by three wickets to enter the knock out stage. In the pre-quarter final, McLarens beat SAGT by 48 runs, overcame Camera.lk by 22 runs in the quarter-finals and MAS Active by three wickets in the semi-final to qualify for the final.

HNB Assurance is led by Dulanjana Wijesinghe will be selected from Dasun Abeywardena, Sangeeth Peiris, Abhishek Jayaweera, Lahiru Sithpriya, Pasindu Pathum, Chamod Piumal, Dasis Manchanayake, Taariq Naziar, Milinda Sanjaya Isuru Sampath, Charith de Silva, Tharindu Guruge, Anupa Sasanka, Dulanga Hettiarachchi, Supun Chanaka, Minidu Rajakaruna, Mohamed Rahumathulla and Raveen Alexander.

Manager: Kalhara Kariyawasam

HNB’s Pasindu Pathum who has scored the most runs [346] in the tournament so far together with Dasun Abeywardena and Lahiru Sithpriya are ranked among the top ten run scorers. Taariq Naziar is among the top tenwicket takers with sixteen wickets to his credit and In the fielding department Sangeeth Peiris is among the top ten with 12 dismissals to his credit.

McLarens Group led by Asanka Ranasinghe will be selected from, Russel Van Rooyen, Shehan Sandaruwan, Saminda Fernando, Ashan Mullegama, Dilan Perera, Oshada Chathuranga, Sachira Wijesinghe, Inesh Chamikara, Sadisha Gamage, Suranga Rodrigo, Lahiru Amarasekara, Ethan Ransilige, Hasindu Perera, Dulshan Jayawardhana, and Mandil Damruka

Manager: Samadhi Siriwardena

McLaren’s all-rounder Ethan Ransilige is among the top ten run scorers and wicket takers in the tournament and Shehan Sandaruwan is the second highest wicket taker [17 wickets] of the tournament.

Twenty four teams entered this year’s MCA F Division Tournament .