Details of upcoming CAS hearing on Morocco-Senegal AFCON final dispute

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will hold a closed-door hearing on Thursday, 8 October 2026, as it considers the Senegal Football Federation’s appeal against the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation over the disputed Africa Cup of Nations final.

The hearing will take place at the CAS headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, with the proceedings scheduled to begin at 09:30 local time.

The dispute concerns CAF’s decision to award the AFCON title to Morocco after stripping Senegal of the championship, with the Senegalese Football Federation challenging that decision before the sports tribunal.

Hearing to take place behind closed doors

CAS confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that the hearing will be held in person but will not be open to journalists or the public.

The date was agreed after consultation with the parties involved, who did not request that the proceedings be made public.

The hearing is expected to continue until the afternoon, after which the three-member panel will begin its deliberations.

CAS said it cannot give a specific date for the final ruling at this stage, but confirmed that a decision will not be delivered on the day of the hearing.

French to be used during proceedings

The parties have agreed that the hearing will be conducted in French.

The statement said representatives of the French Football Federation will also attend in person in Lausanne and will be represented by lawyers.

The arbitration panel will be led by Professor Gerald Simon of France, who will serve as president, alongside Professor Luigi Fumagalli of Italy and Professor Dr Ulrich Haas of Germany.

Journalists who wish to cover developments from outside the CAS headquarters have been asked to contact the court’s media office and provide a valid press card.

Final decision could shape AFCON dispute

The CAS hearing represents the next major stage in the legal dispute surrounding the AFCON final and CAF’s subsequent decision concerning the championship.

The court stressed that any announcement relating to the case will be published on its official website.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport is an independent body responsible for resolving sporting disputes through arbitration and mediation, with its procedures designed to provide a framework for fair and equitable decisions in international sport.