Senegal’s appeal against the decision to award Morocco the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title is scheduled to be heard on Thursday, 8 October, at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.
According to the CAS hearing notice, proceedings will take place behind closed doors. The court says no decision will be announced on the day of the hearing.
Senegal is seeking to overturn CAF’s ruling and regain the title. The hearing itself does not change the official result.
How the dispute began
Senegal won the final against hosts Morocco 1-0 in Rabat on 18 January 2026.
However, Senegal’s players walked off the pitch in protest after Morocco were awarded a late penalty. According to Reuters, they returned after 14 minutes and went on to win the match.
On 17 March, CAF’s Appeal Board overturned the result following an appeal by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.
In its published statement, CAF said Senegal’s conduct breached Article 82 of the competition regulations. Applying Article 84, the board declared Senegal to have forfeited the final and recorded a 3-0 victory for Morocco.
That ruling replaced Senegal’s victory on the pitch with an official result in Morocco’s favour.
What Senegal is asking for
The CAS appeal notice confirms that the Senegalese Football Federation’s appeal was registered on 25 March.
Senegal wants CAF’s decision overturned and its team declared the AFCON winner. The appeal is against both CAF and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.
The distinction remains important: Senegal won the match as played, but CAF later changed the official result. CAS is now considering Senegal’s challenge to that decision.
What happens next
CAS says representatives of the Senegalese and Moroccan federations will attend in person, while CAF will be represented by its lawyers.
Proceedings will be conducted in French before a three-member arbitration panel chaired by Professor Gérald Simon.
The panel will begin considering its decision after the hearing. CAS has not announced a date for the verdict and says that official announcements will appear on its website.
Why it matters to Africa and the diaspora
The dispute concerns the title of Africa’s leading national football competition. Senegalese and Moroccan supporters, including those living abroad, are awaiting clarity about the championship.
Beyond the two countries, the case raises questions about how African football applies competition rules and explains decisions that change results after matches have finished.
Trivane View
Supporters deserve a clear explanation of the final decision and the rules behind it. Fair procedures and clear reasoning matter to public confidence in African football.
For now, the hearing should not be presented as a victory for either side.
