The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ruled in favor of the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) and USM Alger in their dispute against the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), and Moroccan club RS Berkane.
The ruling overturns CAF’s previous decision to allow RS Berkane to wear jerseys featuring a controversial map of Morocco, which included the disputed territory of Western Sahara.
Background of the dispute
The case stemmed from RS Berkane’s 2023/24 CAF Confederation Cup campaign, during which the Moroccan club wore jerseys displaying a territorial map of Morocco that included Western Sahara—a region whose sovereignty remains a subject of international contention.
FAF and USM Alger objected to the inclusion of the map, arguing that it conveyed a political message, which is prohibited under CAF and FIFA regulations.
FAF and USM Alger appealed to CAS, seeking to annul CAF’s approval of the jerseys, citing Article 1.03 of CAF’s Equipment Regulations and Law 4 of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) Laws of the Game, both of which prohibit political messages on football equipment.
Key findings of the CAS ruling
After a videoconference hearing on November 13, 2024, CAS issued its verdict on February 26, 2025, concluding:
- Only FAF had exhausted all legal avenues before appealing to CAS, making USM Alger’s appeal inadmissible.
- The inclusion of Western Sahara in Morocco’s map on RS Berkane’s jerseys constitutes a political message, as it asserts territorial sovereignty over a disputed region.
- According to CAF’s Equipment Regulations and FIFA’s Laws of the Game, football kits must remain politically neutral and cannot display messages of a political nature.
- CAF, as a governing body, must uphold political neutrality in accordance with its Statutes and Regulations.
- The approval of RS Berkane’s jerseys for the 2023/24 CAF Confederation Cup was therefore annulled, and FAF’s appeal was upheld.
Impact of the ruling
While the CAS ruling invalidates CAF’s decision to approve the jerseys, it does not affect the results of the 2023/24 CAF Confederation Cup.
RS Berkane’s performances in the tournament remain unchanged, but the ruling sets a precedent regarding political neutrality in African football competitions.
This decision highlights the growing tensions between sports and politics, particularly in North African football, and reinforces the obligation of governing bodies like CAF and FIFA to maintain neutrality in such disputes.
Moving forward, this ruling may lead to stricter enforcement of regulations regarding political expressions on football kits across the continent.
