By Kwame Bediako
Senegalese President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye showered the Africa Cup of Nations champions with generous cash bonuses and prime coastal land, honoring their gritty 1-0 extra-time victory over Morocco in the final.
At a jubilant ceremony in Dakar on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, Faye addressed thousands of roaring fans, declaring each of the 28 squad members deserving of 75 million CFA francs, about $134,892 and a 1,500 square-meter plot of beachfront property.
This package, exceeding $3.7 million just for the players, dwarfs the rewards from Senegal’s inaugural AFCON title in 2021.
Captain Kalidou Koulibaly, Sadio Mané and coach Pape Thiaw led the Lions of Teranga through Dakar’s streets earlier that day on an open-top bus parade, mobbed by ecstatic crowds waving flags in a sea of green, gold, and red.
Faye praised the team as embodiments of national spirit: “Dear Lions, you have honoured the flag entrusted to you… You have shown that when Senegalese unite with discipline and confidence, no challenge stands in our way.”
The gesture underscores a rare moment of collective joy for a nation hungry for heroes.
The final etched itself into AFCON lore as a thriller laced with drama.
Senegal briefly walked off the pitch in protest over a controversial late penalty call against them, only to return and watch goalkeeper Édouard Mendy stonewall the spot-kick.
Pape Gueye then sealed glory with the decisive extra-time strike, propelling Senegal to its second continental crown.Faye’s largesse ripples beyond the pitch.
Football federation officials pocket 50 million CFA francs each plus 1,000 square-meter plots, delegation staff get 20 million francs and 500 square-meter lots, and Sports Ministry employees divvy up a 305 million franc bonus pool.
