Motsepe Schedules Rabat Talks with Moroccan FA Leadership

Motsepe Schedules Rabat Talks with Moroccan FA Leadership

By Niyi Busari 

The President of the Confederation of African Football, Patrice Motsepe, is scheduled to visit Morocco on Thursday for high-level discussions with key football stakeholders, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

During the visit, Motsepe will meet with Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF), alongside other members of the Moroccan football community. The trip is expected to reinforce collaboration between CAF and one of Africa’s most influential football federations.

A joint press conference is scheduled to take place in Rabat at 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT), where further details regarding the visit and ongoing football matters are expected to be addressed.

The visit comes at a sensitive moment for African football governance, following a controversial ruling by CAF’s Disciplinary Committee concerning the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The Committee overturned Senegal’s 1–0 victory over Morocco, awarding a 3–0 win to the hosts after determining that the Senegalese team left the pitch without the referee’s authorization during the match on January 18, 2026.

In response, the Senegalese Football Federation has formally appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and has reportedly declined to return the trophy pending the outcome of the legal process.

Motsepe’s diplomatic engagements appear to reflect CAF’s efforts to manage the fallout from the dispute. The CAF President was in Senegal on Wednesday before continuing his tour to Morocco, signaling an active attempt to engage both parties as tensions remain high.

Further updates are expected following Thursday’s meetings and the Rabat press briefing.

The dispute has drawn significant attention across African football, raising questions about disciplinary procedures and match governance.

The appeal to CAS could take several weeks or months, meaning the official status of the AFCON 2025 title may remain unresolved in the interim.

Morocco’s growing influence in African football—following major investments in infrastructure and recent international performances—adds further weight to the outcome of this dispute.

CAF is under increasing pressure to ensure transparency and consistency in its rulings, especially in high-stakes tournaments like AFCON.