The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is set to hear the Senegalese Football Federation's appeal against the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) on Thursday. The case revolves around CAF's decision to award the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title to Morocco after ruling that Senegal had forfeited the final. The hearing will take place behind closed doors at the CAS headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The dispute dates back to the final, which Senegal initially won 1-0 after Pape Gueye scored in extra time. However, the match descended into controversy late in normal time when the referee awarded Morocco a penalty. Senegal's players left the pitch in protest following the decision, before eventually returning to complete the match. CAF subsequently ruled that Senegal had forfeited the final and recorded a 3-0 victory for Morocco.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) rejected the decision and took the matter to CAS, arguing against CAF's ruling and seeking recognition as the legitimate winners of the tournament. The appeal could have significant consequences for the official outcome of the 2025 AFCON, depending on the eventual decision by the sports court. A successful appeal could see the original outcome of the final revisited.
The case will be heard by a three-member panel chaired by French arbitrator Professor Gérald Simon. He will be joined by Professor Luigi Fumagalli of Italy and Professor Dr Ulrich Haas of Germany. The proceedings will be conducted in French. The panel will consider the arguments presented by Senegal, CAF, and the Moroccan federation before reaching its decision.
CAS has confirmed that no decision will be announced on the day of the hearing. In a statement issued on 30 September, CAS said it was unable to indicate when the final decision would be issued. The court is expected to take its time to deliberate, and the dispute over the 2025 AFCON final will continue beyond the hearing in Lausanne.
Morocco's status as 2025 AFCON champions remains at the centre of the case. CAF's decision to award the final to Morocco followed its ruling that Senegal had forfeited the match, despite the Senegalese side having initially taken the lead through Gueye in extra time. Senegal's appeal challenges the basis on which CAF overturned the result and awarded the match to Morocco.
The outcome of the appeal will have significant implications for the official record of the 2025 AFCON. If the CAS panel rules in favour of Senegal, the original outcome of the final may be reinstated. Conversely, if the panel rejects Senegal's case, Morocco's title will remain intact. The sports court has not provided a specific timetable for its final ruling, leaving the dispute unresolved for now.
Key points
- The CAS hearing will determine the official outcome of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final.
- Senegal's appeal challenges CAF's decision to award the final to Morocco.
- The CAS panel's decision will have significant implications for the official record of the 2025 AFCON.
