Al-Merrikh take Sudanese league title dispute to CAS after Al-Hilal ruling

Al-Merrikh have taken last season’s Sudanese Premier League title dispute to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), in a case that echoes the well-known Morocco-Senegal dispute from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, which is due to be decided at the end of November.

Al-Merrikh lost 1-0 to Al-Hilal in the Sudanese league derby in July, but lodged a formal complaint claiming that some of Al-Hilal’s naturalised players had been ineligible to play.

After considering the case, the appeal committee ruled that Al-Hilal should forfeit the match and awarded the title to Al-Merrikh.

However, Al-Hilal announced on Tuesday that the Sudan Football Association’s appeal committee had accepted a review request submitted by the club. It overturned the earlier ruling that had awarded the derby points to Al-Merrikh, meaning Al-Hilal were instead declared champions.

Al-Merrikh rejected the latest decision in a statement published on its Facebook account and confirmed that it would take the dispute to CAS.

The club said:

“Al-Merrikh Sports Club categorically rejects the decision of the newly formed appeal committee, which accepted the review request submitted by the other club and overturned the previous decision that established Al-Merrikh’s entitlement to the Premier League title. The club therefore confirms its adherence to all its rights and gains, and its rejection of any procedures that diminish them.

“The decision is a source of surprise to the board, particularly because the previous appeal committee did not merely issue a ruling in Al-Merrikh’s favour. It also praised the appeal submitted by the club in its reasoning and expressly recorded that in its official minutes. That led the Sudan Football Association to amend its player-status regulations on the basis of the committee’s handling of the case. The reversal of that decision therefore raises legal questions.

“Further questions arise from the latest ruling because the club had received official notification from the association stating that the case had been transferred to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), following a complaint submitted by the other club under reference A/12688. This raises fundamental questions about the legal and procedural basis for reopening the case before the appeal committee after the parties had been notified that the dispute had moved to the international court.

“In light of all this, and following the latest decision, the Al-Merrikh board has resolved to escalate the case to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and to pursue all necessary legal procedures. It will rely on the club’s previous experience before the court and seek the assistance of specialist legal expertise in defending its right to the championship until a final decision is issued.

“In this regard, the board sends a clear message to the Sudan Football Association, as well as to the club’s supporters, former figures, players, media and all its sections: Al-Merrikh is a popular and leading club, with a long history, an established position and a broad following inside and outside Sudan. It will therefore not accept any interference with its rights or any reduction of its standing.

“The association must fulfil its responsibilities in running the competition fairly, ethically and impartially, while applying the regulations without discrimination or selectivity.

“We reaffirm in the strongest terms that Al-Merrikh will not stand by while any procedures affect its rights. It will not accept the imposition of a fait accompli or any interference with its gains, and will confront this through all available legal and institutional means.

“To Al-Merrikh’s loyal supporters, the board confirms that the club’s rights are not subject to negotiation or surrender. It will continue along the legal path to the end, with your support behind us, and with our pledge that we will never retreat.”