The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is expected to deliver its final ruling on Senegal’s appeal against the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over the disputed 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final by the end of November 2026.
The decision will determine whether Senegal retain their on-field victory over Morocco or whether CAF’s controversial ruling awarding the hosts a 3-0 victory and the title will stand.
Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 after extra time on January 18, 2026, in Rabat. However, the final was overshadowed by a major controversy when Senegal’s players briefly left the pitch in protest after a late penalty was awarded to Morocco during regulation time. Play eventually resumed, and Morocco failed to convert the spot-kick before Senegal scored the decisive goal in extra time.
In March 2026, CAF’s Appeals Board overturned the result, ruling that Senegal had forfeited the match under Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations. The decision awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory by default, prompting the Senegalese Football Federation to challenge the ruling at CAS on March 25.
A closed-door hearing took place in Lausanne, Switzerland, on October 8, before a three-member CAS panel. Senegal’s appeal centres on the circumstances surrounding the match’s conclusion and the argument that the referee allowed play to continue until the final whistle.
CAS is now completing its deliberations and preparing a comprehensive written award setting out the legal grounds for its decision. The ruling, expected by the end of November, will be crucial in resolving the dispute that has cast a shadow over the tournament’s final.
Both Senegal and Morocco are awaiting the verdict, which could determine the official outcome of the AFCON 2025 final and bring an end to one of African football’s most contentious disputes in recent years.
