LONDON, England, May 22, 2026 – Iliman Ndiaye says Senegal are “champions of Africa” and will not be distracted at the 2026 World Cup by the ongoing legal battle which will determine the ultimate destination of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) trophy.
Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 after extra time in January’s Afcon final after several Teranga Lions players, including Ndiaye, walked off the field in protest when the North Africans were awarded a penalty in second-half stoppage time.
They eventually returned to continue the game and, following a delay of around 17 minutes, Brahim Diaz saw his Panenka-style spot kick saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy before Pape Gueye scored the winner in extra time.
But on 17 March a Confederation of African Football (Caf) appeals board awarded the title to Morocco, ruling that the West Africans breached tournament regulations when they left the field of play without the permission of referee Jean-Jacques Ndala.
Senegal’s football federation has taken the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which is yet to come to a judgement on the matter.
“Obviously, in our eyes and many other people’s eyes, we are the champions of Africa,” Ndiaye told Newsday on the BBC World Service.
“Whatever their decisions will [be], it doesn’t disturb us.
“The same focus and hunger and determination that we had going into the Afcon, we’re going to do the same going into the World Cup. It’s another trophy on the line and nothing’s going to distract us.”
Senegal face France, Norway and Iraq in Group I at the World Cup finals, which are being held in Canada, Mexico and the USA from 11 June to 19 July.
‘Not a good look’ for African game
Ndiaye started the Afcon final in Rabat but had been substituted and was watching from the bench when two key flashpoints occurred in second-half stoppage time.
First, referee Ndala whistled for a foul on Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi moments before Ismaila Sarr headed the ball into the Atlas Lions’ net in the second minute of added time.
Four minutes later the Congolese official was sent to his pitch-side monitor by the video assistant referee to assess footage of El Hadji Malick Diouf pulling back Diaz before heading away a corner, and Ndala awarded the tournament hosts a penalty.
That prompted the walk-off from several Senegal players, substitutes and coaching staff.
“It was just a bit of unfairness that happened for us,” Everton forward Ndiaye said.
“That’s what we thought on the pitch with the goal being disallowed and then the penalty, which we don’t think was a penalty, in the space of a short time.
“Emotions were really high and you do things straight away.”
Sadio Mane was among the Teranga Lions players who remained on the field of play and was seen racing back to the dressing room to encourage his team-mates to return.
“The manager [Pape Thiaw] and the players that stayed outside on the pitch told everyone that went inside to come back to the pitch and finish the game,” Ndiaye explained.
However, Ndiaye admits the fallout since the final, and the decision by the Caf appeals board to strip them of the title, is “not a good look” for the African game.
Senegal even paraded the Afcon trophy before a friendly against Peru on 28 March, 11 days after the Caf ruling.
“The main focus is that we came back, they [took] the penalty, they could have won it, we scored, we won the game,” the 26-year-old said.
“We won the trophy with all that celebration. To take all of that away two months after the final whistle… I don’t understand.
“If you give the decision to the referee on the pitch, you [have] got to leave that decision to him and leave it how it is.
“In Africa we have to stay together, be strong and do everything in our power to lift up African football. It wasn’t a great look so I just hope they put it right.”
