The Senegalese national football team has publicly expressed concerns over what it described as operational and logistical failures ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final scheduled to be held in Morocco.
In a formal communiqué released on Saturday, the Senegalese Football Federation, which is the football governing body for Senegal, said it was compelled to publish its grievances “for the sake of transparency and defence of the interests of the Senegal national team” after claiming that several organisational shortcomings were recorded during preparations for the continental final.
The statement, issued by the Secretariat of the Teranga Lions of Senegal, was addressed to the Confederation of African Football, which is the body responsible for football administration in Africa, and was also made available to the general public.
According to the federation, the first major point of concern centered on security arrangements upon arrival. “The Senegalese Football Federation deplores the clear absence of adequate safety device when the Senegalese delegation arrived at the Rabat railway station,” the communiqué read. It added that the situation exposed players and officials “to a promiscuity and risks incompatible with the standards of a competition of this magnitude and the standing of a continental final.”
The federation also reported accommodation disputes, noting that it had to lodge a formal complaint before suitable housing was approved. “Regarding hotel logistics, the Senegalese Football Federation informs that an official protest by mail was necessary to win the case,” the communiqué stated. According to the statement, a five-star hotel was eventually assigned to the team to support recovery and performance.
On training preparations, Senegal rejected the initially proposed facility. “The Senegalese Football Federation has officially notified the Confederation of African Football of its categorical refusal to hold its training sessions at the Mohammed VI Complex,” the statement said. The federation argued that the facility served as “the base camp of the opposing team, which raises a problem of sporting fairness.”
At the time of the communiqué, the federation said it had “not yet received notification from the training site of the Senegal national team,” raising further uncertainty about technical preparations for the match.
Ticket allocation was also highlighted as a dispute point. Senegal said the official allocation amounted to only two Very Very Important Person tickets, which it considered insufficient for a match of such magnitude. While stating that it had purchased the maximum amount permitted by the Confederation of African Football — 300 Category One, 850 Category Two and 1,700 Category Three tickets — the federation stressed that “these quantities, although fully acquired, remain insufficient in relation to demand.”
Okay News reports that the federation concluded by urging authorities to address these problems ahead of the final. “The Senegalese Football Federation calls on the Confederation of African Football and the Local Organising Committee to take all immediate corrective measures to ensure respect for the principles of Fair Play, equal treatment and safety, essential to the success of this African football festival,” the communiqué ended.
Senegal, which continues to pursue continental honours, will compete for the title after defeating Egypt, the North African football powerhouse, in the semi final on Wednesday. The Senegalese squad includes star forward Sadio Mané, a Senegalese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Al Nassr Football Club in Saudi Arabia.
