CAF Appeals Committee to rule on Morocco’s appeal over AFCON 2025 final sanctions

The controversy surrounding the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations between Senegal national football team and Morocco national football team has taken a dramatic new turn after the Confederation of African Football confirmed that its Appeals Committee will examine Morocco’s challenge against the sanctions linked to the highly debated match.

The final, played on 18 January, had been surrounded by controversy and intense debate across African football. Many believed the matter had been settled following the initial disciplinary decisions taken by CAF. However, the situation has now been unexpectedly revived after the governing body’s Appeals Committee agreed to review an appeal filed by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.

According to reports, the committee will convene on Tuesday, 17 March 2026, to deliberate on the appeal. The meeting is expected to determine whether Morocco’s arguments warrant a reconsideration of the sanctions imposed after the final.

If the appeal is upheld, the case could effectively return to square one, reopening proceedings and potentially leading to a fresh evaluation of the decisions that followed the match. Such an outcome could prolong the controversy and spark further debate across the African football community.

On the other hand, if the Appeals Committee rejects Morocco’s appeal, the matter would be considered closed at the level of CAF, bringing an end to the dispute within the continent’s football governing structure.

However, the possibility of further legal action remains. Should the appeal be dismissed, the Moroccan federation still retains the right to escalate the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, widely known as CAS. This would shift the matter from the African football administration to the global sports legal arena.

The upcoming meeting of the Appeals Committee is therefore expected to be a crucial moment in determining the next chapter of the dispute. With the reputation of major football institutions and the legacy of the AFCON final at stake, the decision could have significant implications for both federations involved and for African football governance.

As anticipation builds ahead of the committee’s ruling, fans and stakeholders across the continent will be closely watching to see whether the controversy surrounding the 2025 AFCON final finally reaches its conclusion—or enters yet another chapter.