Ndiaye adamant Senegal are champions of AfricaImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Player of the tournament Sadio Mane scored two goals at Afcon 2025 to help Senegal lift the trophy, but the Teranga Lions are waiting for a ruling on whether they will keep the titleByRob Stevens and Isaac FaninBBC World ServicePublished49 minutes agoIliman 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.
