Senegal’s head coach, Pape Thiaw, has reportedly taken the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy to a military base amid an escalating dispute with Morocco over the 2025 title.

According to multiple reports, the trophy has been placed in a secure military facility, where armed soldiers were seen guarding it, with some also posing for photographs alongside the silverware.

The move follows a controversial decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to declare Morocco winners of the 2025 AFCON, overturning Senegal’s initial triumph after a post-final ruling.

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Senegalese football authorities have rejected the decision, insisting the title was fairly earned on the pitch. They have since filed an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), seeking to overturn CAF’s verdict.

Morocco, however, has accepted the ruling, with players and officials celebrating the decision as confirmation of their championship status.

The development has further intensified tensions between both footballing nations, with the fate of the AFCON trophy now at the centre of the ongoing legal battle.

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