The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is set to hear the Senegalese Football Federation's appeal on October 8, 2026, at its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. The appeal challenges the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) decision to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and award it to hosts Morocco. This decision was made after Senegal players walked off the pitch in protest during the final match.
The 2025 AFCON final was played in Rabat on January 18, 2025, with Senegal winning 1-0 after extra time, courtesy of a goal from Pape Gueye. However, the match was marred by controversy when Senegal players, led by then-coach Pape Thiaw, walked off the pitch in protest over a VAR-awarded penalty for Morocco. The players returned to the pitch after roughly 14 to 15 minutes, and Brahim Díaz missed the spot-kick, allowing Senegal to win in extra time.
On March 17, 2026, CAF's appeal board ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match by leaving the field and recorded a 3-0 victory for Morocco, awarding them the title. The Senegalese Football Federation filed its appeal with CAS on March 25, 2026, seeking to overturn CAF's ruling and be declared official champions. The Royal Moroccan Football Federation is also a party to the appeal.
The hearing on October 8 will begin at 09:30 local time and is expected to conclude in the afternoon. It will be held in person and behind closed doors, as none of the parties requested a public session. Journalists will not be admitted, and proceedings will be conducted in French. Representatives of the Senegalese and Moroccan federations will attend in Lausanne, along with CAF's legal team.
The three-member CAS panel consists of Professor Gérald Simon of France as president, Professor Luigi Fumagalli of Italy, and Professor Dr. Ulrich Haas of Germany. After the hearing, the panel will begin deliberations. CAS has stated that no decision will be issued on October 8 and that it cannot yet say when the final ruling will be published.
Official updates will appear only through CAS channels, and the court has warned against circulating unofficial or false claims about the case. The outcome will determine the official winner of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. CAF has previously indicated it will respect the CAS ruling, which will bring an end to the controversy surrounding the title.
The CAS ruling will have significant implications for the Senegalese and Moroccan football federations, as well as the future of the 2025 AFCON. With the hearing set to take place on October 8, all parties involved are eagerly awaiting the outcome. The decision will bring clarity to the situation and provide a resolution to the dispute.
Key points
- The CAS hearing will determine the official winner of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
- The hearing will be held behind closed doors in Lausanne, Switzerland.
- CAF has indicated it will respect the CAS ruling.
