Former President of Liberia and former Liberian player George Weah speaks on stage before the announcement of the Men’s Ballon d’Or 2024 winner at the Ballon d’Or 2024 ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France, 28 October 2024. EPA/MOHAMMED BADRA
Friday Mar 20, 2026. 15:00
African footballing legend George Weah has spoken out against the decision of the CAF Appeal Board to overturn the result of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final and award the title to Morocco.
The decision was publicly announced on Tuesday as the governing body upheld the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football’s appeal, overturning Senegal’s 1-0 victory as its players left the pitch during the match, citing Article 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations.
In a lengthy statement released on his official social media platforms on Thursday, Weah condemned CAF’s decision to overturn the result of the final and award the title to Morocco.
“In football, the Laws of the Game are clear: the referee on the pitch is the final authority on decisions made during the match. Once play is allowed to continue and the match is completed, the result obtained on the field must stand,” wrote Weah.
The 1995 Ballon d’Or winner, the only African player to have won the award, cited FIFA’s Laws of the Game, which are followed by CAF and state: “The referee has full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed, and his decisions on facts connected with play are final.”
The three-time African Footballer of the Year emphasised that the game must be decided on the pitch, and not in boardrooms after the outcome has already been established.
“Football must be decided on the pitch, not re-decided after the final whistle,” he stated.
“There is therefore no sporting justification to nullify a match that was completed in accordance with the referee’s authority and the Laws of the Game otherwise the beautiful game will head down a slippery slope where committee room officials and not match officials will be making post match rulings to override referees on-field decisions like penalties, offside and red cards.”
Weah believes, like many others, that the decision is one that had harmed the reputation and integrity of African football.
“This decision has further scarred and blemished African football, undermining confidence in the fairness, consistency, and integrity of football on the continent. I call on the court of Arbitration for Sports(CAS) and other relevant authorities to move decisively so that this travesty does not stand.”
The African footballing legend also clarified that he was not in support of the CAF Disciplinary Committee’s decision, contrary to rumours flying around social media in the aftermath of the judgement.
By Nic Gleeson