Senegal’s national team publicly displayed the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy ahead of their international friendly against Peru in Paris on Saturday, despite a recent decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to withdraw the title.
The pre-match event took place at the Parc des Princes, where the Teranga Lions arrived with the trophy and celebrated in front of fans. This move comes after CAF’s appeal board ruled earlier in the month that Senegal should be stripped of the 2025 AFCON title.
CAF imposed the sanction after Senegal players briefly left the pitch in protest during the final against Morocco. The protest followed a disputed penalty awarded to the host nation. Senegal later returned to complete the match and secured victory in extra time.
Despite the ruling, Senegal has continued to present itself as the reigning champion. The Senegal Football Federation has already filed an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in a bid to overturn the decision.
At the Paris stadium, captain Kalidou Coulibaly led the team onto the pitch with the trophy. He was joined by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. Other members of the squad also participated in the ceremony. The players acknowledged supporters with a lap of honour and posed for photographs.
The occasion also featured a musical performance by renowned Senegalese artist Youssou N’Dour, who entertained the crowd before kickoff.
Later in the evening, Senegal defeated Peru 2-0 in the friendly match. Nicolas Jackson opened the scoring before halftime. Ismaila Sarr added the second goal in the 54th minute, sealing a comfortable win for the West African side.
