The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has scheduled October 8, 2026, as the date for the hearing into the legal dispute surrounding the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.
The case involves the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), which has lodged an appeal against the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) over the decision that awarded the AFCON 2025 title to Morocco.
In a statement released on Friday, July 24, CAS confirmed that the hearing will take place at its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, as the tribunal examines Senegal’s challenge against CAF’s ruling.
The FSF’s appeal seeks to overturn CAF’s decision declaring that Senegal forfeited the AFCON 2025 final and subsequently recording Morocco as the winners of the match by a 3-0 scoreline.
Senegal is asking CAS to reverse the decision and recognise the Teranga Lions as the champions of the continental tournament.
CAS revealed that the parties involved did not request an expedited process, meaning the case will follow the court’s standard timeline. The hearing will be held behind closed doors after consultations with the parties involved.
Following the proceedings, the arbitration panel will begin deliberations before delivering its final ruling.
CAS, however, stated that a decision will not be announced on the day of the hearing and no specific date has been set for the verdict.
The outcome of the case could have major implications for African football, as a ruling in Senegal’s favour would alter the official history of the 2025 AFCON, while a decision supporting CAF’s position would confirm Morocco as the tournament’s champions.
What happened?
Senegal’s players left the pitch during second-half stoppage time of the final after Morocco were awarded a penalty following a VAR review, shortly after Senegal had a goal disallowed.
The then head coach Pape Bouna Thiaw instructed his players to leave the field before captain Sadio Mane persuaded them to return following a delay of around 14 minutes.
Morocco’s Brahim Diaz subsequently missed the penalty before Pape Gueye scored the game’s only goal four minutes into extra time.
CAF’s disciplinary board rejected Morocco’s initial forfeiture request on January 28 but imposed sanctions over the incident.
The Senegalese federation was fined a total of $615,000, while Thiaw received a five-match suspension and a $100,000 fine. Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr were each suspended for two CAF matches.
CAF’s appeal board overturned that decision on March 17, ruled that Senegal had breached tournament regulations by leaving the pitch without the referee’s permission and recorded the final as a 3-0 victory for Morocco.
