AFCON 2025: CAS announces date for final ruling on Senegal’s appeal against Morocco

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has confirmed that its final ruling on Senegal’s appeal against the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation over the disputed 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final is expected by the end of November 2026.

The announcement means Senegal and Morocco must wait several more weeks to discover the final outcome of the controversy surrounding the tournament’s championship, following a hearing held behind closed doors at CAS headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, on October 8. Blueprint reports

In an update released on Monday, October 19, CAS said the three-member arbitration panel had begun deliberations and would issue a comprehensive ruling, including the legal grounds for its decision, known as a CAS Award.

“The panel have begun and continue their deliberations,” the tribunal said.

“The CAS arbitrators have decided to issue a complete ruling which includes legal grounds, known as a CAS Award. This process will require several weeks, with the CAS Award expected at the end of November 2026.”

The announcement extends the wait for a resolution to one of African football’s most contentious disputes in recent years, with Senegal challenging CAF’s decision to overturn the result of the final and award Morocco a 3-0 victory.

How the controversy started

The dispute originated from the AFCON 2025 final played between Senegal and hosts Morocco at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on January 18, 2026.

Senegal initially won the encounter 1-0 after extra time, with Pape Gueye scoring the decisive goal to secure what appeared to be the Teranga Lions’ second continental title.

However, the final was overshadowed by controversy late in regulation time when Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty following a video assistant referee review.

Senegal’s players protested the decision, with several leaving the pitch as tensions escalated. The match was interrupted for almost 20 minutes before the Senegalese players returned to continue the contest.

Morocco subsequently had an opportunity to take the lead from the penalty spot, but Brahim Díaz failed to convert, allowing the match to proceed into extra time.

Gueye’s goal eventually gave Senegal victory, and the team celebrated with the trophy. The outcome, however, was later challenged through CAF’s disciplinary and appeals processes.

CAF overturns result and awards Morocco title

On March 17, 2026, CAF’s Appeal Board overturned the earlier disciplinary decision and ruled that Senegal had forfeited the final because of the conduct of its players.

Applying Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations, the board declared Senegal to have forfeited the match and recorded a 3-0 victory in Morocco’s favour.

The ruling effectively stripped Senegal of the title it had initially won on the pitch and recognised Morocco as the champions of AFCON 2025.

CAF’s decision was based on its interpretation of the regulations governing a team’s refusal to continue playing and the consequences of such conduct.

The ruling sparked widespread debate among football supporters and observers, particularly over the relationship between disciplinary regulations, the referee’s management of the match and the eventual outcome of a final that had been completed on the pitch.

Senegal rejected the decision and pursued an appeal before CAS, seeking to have CAF’s ruling overturned.

Senegal asks CAS to restore its title

The Senegalese Football Federation registered its appeal with CAS on March 25, challenging CAF’s decision to declare the team losers of the final.

Senegal is seeking to have the Appeal Board’s ruling set aside and to be declared the rightful winner of AFCON 2025.

The case involves three principal parties: the Senegalese Football Federation, CAF and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.

Morocco is defending the title awarded to it by CAF, while the continental governing body’s decision and interpretation of the competition regulations are also under review.

The October 8 hearing provided the parties with an opportunity to present their arguments before the arbitration panel. The proceedings were conducted behind closed doors, and no immediate ruling was issued after the hearing.

CAS subsequently confirmed that the arbitrators would require additional time to deliberate and prepare a comprehensive decision explaining the legal basis for their conclusion.

Why the final ruling matters

The CAS decision will determine whether CAF’s ruling stands or Senegal’s appeal succeeds, bringing legal clarity to the dispute over the AFCON 2025 title.

If Senegal’s appeal succeeds, the tribunal could set aside CAF’s decision and grant the relief sought by the Senegalese federation. That would potentially restore Senegal’s status as champions under the original match result.

If the appeal is dismissed, Morocco’s 3-0 victory and title awarded by CAF would stand.

The final outcome is also significant for CAF’s disciplinary framework and the application of competition regulations when teams temporarily leave the pitch in protest against refereeing decisions.

Beyond the two countries, the case has attracted attention because of its implications for confidence in African football’s disciplinary and appeals procedures.

A detailed ruling setting out the legal reasoning would provide greater clarity on how the relevant regulations should be interpreted and applied in similar circumstances.

However, the arbitrators have not disclosed their conclusions, and neither side can be considered the winner of the legal dispute until the final award is issued.

Football world awaits November decision

The October hearing had raised expectations that the case could be resolved quickly, but CAS has now confirmed that its comprehensive award is expected only by the end of November.

The decision will conclude a dispute that has continued for months since the January final and has placed the championship’s final status under legal scrutiny.

For Senegal, the appeal represents an effort to reverse the decision that deprived the team of the title it initially celebrated winning. For Morocco, the proceedings concern the defence of a championship formally awarded to the country by CAF.

The final award will settle the immediate dispute between the parties and clarify the status of the AFCON 2025 title under the governing rules.

Until then, the outcome remains uncertain, with the football community awaiting the tribunal’s decision on one of the most controversial African football cases in recent years.