Morocco v Senegal: CAS to decide whether controversial Africa Cup of Nations final can be overturned

The Court of Arbitration for Sport will hear Senegal’s appeal against the decision to award Morocco the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title on Thursday, but a verdict is not expected necessarily to follow immediately.

Almost nine months after one of the most disputed finals in CAN history, Morocco and Senegal will meet again away from the pitch. The hearing will take place in Lausanne on Thursday, 8 October, after Federation senegalaise appealed against the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and Federation marocaine.

Proceedings will be held behind closed doors. Once both sides have presented their arguments, the arbitrators will consider their decision. No timetable has been given for the ruling, meaning the 2025 African champions may not be confirmed on Thursday evening.

The case centres on Senegal’s temporary departure from the field during the final in Rabat on 18 January. The players reacted angrily after Morocco were awarded a penalty in added time and returned to the dressing room before coming back on to the pitch, following intervention from Sadio Mane.

Brahim Diaz subsequently missed the penalty, before Pape Gueye gave Senegal a 1-0 victory in extra time.

However, on 17 March, the CAF Appeal Jury ruled that Senegal’s withdrawal amounted to a forfeit under Article 84 of the CAN regulations. The result was changed to a 3-0 victory for Morocco, who were awarded the title.

Senegal is now asking the Court of Arbitration for Sport to overturn that ruling and restore the team as champions.

The central legal issue is whether a side can be declared to have forfeited a match after returning to the field and completing the game with the agreement of the match officials.

Morocco is expected to argue that the regulations must be applied strictly. In its view, leaving the pitch without permission cannot be without consequences, even if the match later resumes.

Senegal, by contrast, is likely to stress that there was no definitive abandonment, that the fixture was completed and that the result originally achieved on the pitch was initially approved.

The CAS can either uphold the CAF decision or annul it. The appeal does not concern the individual suspensions imposed after the incidents in the disorderly final.

The ruling will have significance beyond the identity of the champions. It could establish an important precedent for African football by addressing how far a collective protest can go and what legal status should be given to a match completed after one team has temporarily left the field.

The outcome will also affect the credibility of CAF, which has already faced scrutiny over footage of the final and the series of decisions made since the match.

Morocco and Senegal finished playing almost nine months ago. The legal dispute, however, is unlikely to be settled on the pitch alone.