CAS hearing to decide whether Morocco or Senegal are Africa Cup of Nations champions

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will begin hearing Senegal’s appeal against the decision that stripped them of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and awarded it to Morocco.

The case opens in Lausanne on Thursday, months after a controversial final in Rabat. The CAF Appeals Committee ruled in March 2026 that Senegal had withdrawn from the match, applying Articles 82 and 84 of the Africa Cup of Nations regulations, and officially recorded a 3-0 victory for Morocco.

The final, played on 18 January at Rabat Stadium, descended into disorder after Senegal players temporarily left the pitch to protest against a refereeing decision. A Senegal goal had been disallowed before Morocco were awarded a penalty in second-half injury time.

The disruption lasted about 15 minutes. Senegal’s players eventually returned, while objects were thrown from the stands and some supporters attempted to enter the pitch. Morocco’s Brahim Diaz missed the penalty, but Senegal won when Pape Gueye scored in extra time.

The hearing will be chaired by French arbitrator Professor Gerald Simon, assisted by Italian Professor Luigi Fumagalli and Italian Professor Ulrich Haas. The parties have agreed that proceedings will be conducted in French.

The session is scheduled to start at 09:30 Swiss time on Thursday (10:30 Mecca time and 07:30 Rabat time) and is expected to last several hours, potentially beyond 16:00 Swiss time. CAS has said its ruling will not be delivered on the same day and could take several days or weeks.

Proceedings will be held behind closed doors, with the parties formally barred from disclosing details. The only expected public statement will come from CAS’s director general, who will announce the opening of the hearing.

The three parties are the Senegalese Football Federation, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation and the Confederation of African Football. Senegal took the case to CAS after challenging the CAF Appeals Committee’s ruling, following an extended exchange of legal correspondence and written submissions.

Morocco has appointed local and international lawyers. Sources say its legal team has prepared extensive documentation and arguments, although the federation views the hearing as a routine legal matter rather than an exceptional event.

Senegal initially mounted a high-profile public campaign, with officials giving interviews and holding major news conferences in Dakar and Paris. It later shifted its focus to its legal team and stopped discussing the case publicly. The federation called the CAF decision an “administrative robbery” and temporarily kept the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations trophy.

CAS can uphold the CAF ruling, confirm Morocco as champions, overturn it and award the title to Senegal, refer the matter back for reconsideration or issue another decision. Its review powers are full.

An appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal would be possible, although only on limited grounds, including an improperly appointed tribunal, an incorrect decision on jurisdiction, failure to rule on a request, unequal treatment, denial of the right to be heard, exceeding the submitted claims or a ruling contrary to public policy.

A central issue is expected to be the decision of the Congolese referee, who allowed play to resume before ending the final and formally validating its result. The legality of those decisions and the match’s conclusion could prove decisive in determining who are the legitimate 2025 Africa Cup of Nations champions.