Senegal confident after CAS hearing as Morocco-AFCON final dispute awaits verdict

Senegal say they made a strong case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) as the legal dispute over the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final moves closer to a decision.

Senegal Football Federation secretary general Abdoulaye Sow said the country’s lawyers presented their full arguments during Thursday’s hearing in Lausanne, Switzerland, where representatives of Senegal, Morocco and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) appeared before the arbitration panel.

Sow, who represented Senegal at the hearing, said his country’s legal team had addressed all of its observations before the three-member panel.

“What we can say is that our lawyers presented our case, presented all our observations, and were heard by the arbitration panel,” Sow said in statements to the media outside the CAS headquarters, published by RMC.

“Now, Cass has to make her decision in the coming days or weeks,” he added.

Senegal cannot reveal hearing details

Sow said the Senegalese delegation was unable to disclose details of the arguments made during the confidential proceedings.

“I cannot say what actually happened, because that is subject to the confidentiality of the deliberations. But I can confirm that Senegal defended its position well.”

The Moroccan delegation did not make any public statement after leaving the CAS headquarters.

The confidentiality requirements apply to all three parties, meaning Morocco, Senegal and CAF cannot publicly disclose the details of the pleadings while the panel considers its decision.

CAS verdict could take weeks

The hearing concluded on Thursday after representatives of the parties presented their cases.

CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb had warned before the proceedings that the ruling was unlikely to be delivered immediately.

“Our goal is to issue a decision as quickly as possible after the hearing,” he said.

He continued: “I do not think that the decision will be issued today or tomorrow, and I am almost sure of that, but it may take a few days or even a few weeks, if the arbitrators want to prepare a complete decision that includes legal reasons”.

The three-member panel will now consider the case before issuing its ruling, leaving supporters in both countries and football followers across Africa waiting for a final resolution.

Dispute centres on controversial AFCON final

The legal battle concerns the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where Senegal beat Morocco 1-0.

The match became controversial after Senegal’s players left the pitch in protest following a decision by Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala to award Morocco a penalty.

The Senegalese players later returned to the field, but the incident became the centre of a subsequent disciplinary dispute.

CAF later ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match, a decision that effectively transferred the title to Morocco. Senegal appealed the decision, taking the dispute to CAS.

The sports court must now determine the outcome of the appeal and, ultimately, the status of the AFCON title.

African football awaits final word

The dispute has become a major issue for African football, with two of the continent’s leading national teams awaiting the outcome of a case that could determine the final record of the 2025 AFCON.

Senegal’s confidence after Thursday’s hearing contrasts with Morocco’s decision to make no public comment.

But neither position will settle the dispute.

Only the CAS ruling will determine how the controversial final is ultimately recorded, with the decision expected in the coming days or weeks.