The football saga in Africa, which has continued over the controversial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final,, which has taken another significant step, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirming a hearing date for Senegal's appeal against CAF's decision to award the title to Morocco.
The hearing has been scheduled for October 8, 2026, and will take place behind closed doors at CAS headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. A final verdict is not expected on the day of the hearing, as the panel will deliberate before issuing its decision.
Why is CAS involved in the result of the 2025 AFCON final?
Senegal defeated hosts Morocco 1-0 on the pitch in the AFCON final on 18 January 2026. However, the match was overshadowed by controversy after Senegal's players briefly walked off in protest over a contentious refereeing decision before eventually returning to complete the game.
In March 2026, CAF's Appeal Board ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match because of the walk-off, overturning the result and awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory, officially crowning the Atlas Lions as African champions.
Why did Senegal take the case to CAS against CAF?
The Senegalese Football Federation rejected CAF's ruling and appealed to CAS, arguing that the decision to strip them of the title was unjust. The upcoming hearing will see CAS review submissions from Senegal, CAF, and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation before deciding whether to uphold CAF's ruling or restore Senegal's title.
When will CAS announce the verdict of AFCON 2025?
The verdict is still months away whileǰ the hearing is now fixed for October 8; CAS has not provided a timeline for when its final decision will be announced. The ruling is expected to bring closure to one of the most contentious episodes in AFCON history, with both Morocco and Senegal awaiting the final legal outcome.
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