AFCON 2025: CAS give an update on the Senegal vs Morocco case
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has provided the latest update in the Senegal vs Morocco AFCON 2025 case decided by CAF.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has officially confirmed it has registered an appeal filed by Senegal through their football federation against the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and Morocco, seeking to overturn the decision that stripped Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title.
In a statement published on Wednesday, CAS confirmed it had registered the FSF's appeal targeting the CAF decision of March 17, 2026, which declared Senegal forfeit in the final and awarded Morocco a 3–0 victory.
Through the appeal, the Senegalese federation is demanding the outright annulment of that ruling and wants to be recognised as the rightful winners of AFCON 2025. It is also requesting a suspension of the deadline for submitting its appeal brief, arguing it has yet to receive the detailed grounds for CAF's ruling.
The dispute traces back to the dramatic final played on January 18 at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. Senegal won the match 1–0 with an extra-time goal, but not before staging a 14-minute walkout after a penalty was awarded against them in stoppage time at the end of regulation. Once they returned to the pitch, Morocco squandered the last-gasp spot kick before midfielder Pape Gueye netted the decisive winner.
Morocco subsequently appealed the initial verdict on January 29, and the CAF Appeal Board overturned the ruling, stripping Senegal of the title and awarding Morocco a 3–0 walkover. The board found that the conduct of the Senegal team fell within the scope of Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON Regulations, recording the result as 3–0 in favour of Morocco.
The FSF reacted with fury. The federation described the decision as a "travesty" with "no legal foundation," with Secretary General Abdoulaye Seydou Sow vowing: "We will not back down. The truth is on Senegal's side, the law is on Senegal's side."
Senegal's legal case is expected to centre on the Laws of the Game. A key argument being advanced is that the chaos during the final may be classified as "field-of-play matters," falling under the exclusive jurisdiction of the referee pursuant to Article 5 of the Laws of the Game; meaning the result cannot be overturned even if the referee awarded a questionable penalty.
CAS has confirmed that an arbitral panel will be formed to examine the case and set the timetable for proceedings, though the FSF's request for a suspension of the submission deadline renders the exact schedule uncertain. Meanwhile, CAF has already updated the AFCON 2025 section on its official website, listing Morocco as champions and Senegal as runners-up.
The case is being closely watched across the continent, with many observers noting that the outcome could have lasting implications for how disciplinary matters are handled in African football, and whether results decided on the pitch can ever be reversed in the boardroom.
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