The Tribunal Arbitral du Sport (TAS) will hear Senegal's appeal against the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) decision to award Morocco a 3-0 win in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) final on Thursday, October 8, 2026, in Lausanne, Switzerland. The appeal was lodged by the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) against the CAF's decision, which was made on March 17, 2026. The hearing will be held behind closed doors, with representatives from the Moroccan and Senegalese football federations in attendance.
The dispute centers on the events that occurred during the final match played on January 18, 2026, at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. The match was interrupted for over 15 minutes when Senegalese players protested a penalty decision awarded to Morocco. The game resumed, and Senegal won 1-0 after extra time. However, the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) lodged a complaint with the CAF's disciplinary bodies, which ultimately led to the CAF awarding Morocco a 3-0 win by default.
The TAS has constituted a panel of three arbitrators to hear the case, presided over by French arbitrator Gerald Simon, with Italian arbitrator Luigi Fumagalli and German arbitrator Ulrich Haas as members. The hearing will be conducted in French, as agreed upon by the parties involved. The CAF will be represented by its lawyers, while the FRMF and FSF will have their own representatives present.
The TAS's decision will have significant implications for the outcome of the CAN 2025 final. If the TAS upholds the CAF's decision, Morocco will be officially declared the winner of the tournament. However, if the TAS rules in favor of Senegal, the original result of the match – a 1-0 win for Senegal after extra time – may be reinstated.
The hearing is expected to last throughout the day, with the TAS panel deliberating on the evidence presented by both parties. The parties have agreed to keep the proceedings confidential, with no observers allowed to attend the hearing. The TAS's decision is expected to be made public at a later date.
The dispute between Senegal and Morocco has been ongoing since the CAF's decision was made in March 2026. The FSF has maintained that the CAF's decision was unfair and that the match should have been allowed to proceed without interruption. The FRMF, on the other hand, has argued that the CAF's decision was justified, given the Senegalese players' protest and subsequent abandonment of the pitch.
The outcome of the TAS's decision will have far-reaching consequences for both Senegalese and Moroccan football, as well as for the CAF's disciplinary procedures. Football fans and officials alike will be watching closely as the TAS delivers its verdict on this high-profile dispute.
Key points
- The Tribunal Arbitral du Sport will examine Senegal's appeal against the CAF's decision to award Morocco a 3-0 win in the CAN 2025 final.
- The hearing will be held behind closed doors in Lausanne, Switzerland, with representatives from the Moroccan and Senegalese football federations in attendance.
- The TAS's decision will have significant implications for the outcome of the CAN 2025 final and the future of football in Senegal and Morocco.
