The long-running dispute over the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final between Senegal and Morocco reaches another stage on Thursday, October 8, when the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) holds a hearing on Senegal’s appeal in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The case dates back to the controversial AFCON final played in Rabat on January 18, when Senegal defeated hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time to win the continental title.
The hearing is scheduled to begin at 9:30am and is expected to continue into the afternoon.
However, there will be no immediate verdict.
CAS confirmed that after the hearing, the three-member panel will begin its deliberations, but it cannot yet say when the final decision will be issued. The ruling will therefore come at a later date.
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The final was overshadowed by a controversial incident late in normal time. Senegal players temporarily left the pitch after Morocco were awarded a penalty. The Senegalese team returned after about 14 minutes, and Morocco’s Brahim Diaz missed the resulting penalty.
The match eventually went into extra time, where Pape Gueye scored the match winner to give Senegal a 1-0 victory.
The result initially stood, with Senegal celebrating their second AFCON title. But the controversy did not end with the final whistle.
Morocco’s football federation later lodged a protest with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), challenging the circumstances surrounding the Senegalese team’s temporary departure from the pitch.
CAF’s Disciplinary Board initially dealt with sanctions against individuals and federations without changing the result of the final.
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Morocco subsequently appealed that decision to the CAF Appeal Board.
On March 17, the CAF Appeal Board overturned the earlier decision and ruled that Senegal had forfeited the final. The match was therefore recorded as a 3-0 victory for Morocco, effectively making the tournament hosts the champions.
Article 82 of the AFCON Regulations concerns a team leaving the field before the regular end of a match without the referee’s authorisation, while Article 84 provides for the consequences of breaches of the competition regulations.
Senegal rejected the decision and announced that it would take the matter to CAS, football’s highest independent arbitration body for sporting disputes.
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The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) formally appealed to CAS, naming both CAF and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) as respondents. CAS registered the appeal on March 25.
Under the CAS procedure, once an appeal is registered, an independent arbitral panel is appointed. The appellant submits its legal arguments, while the respondents are given an opportunity to respond.
CAS then establishes a procedural calendar before the parties proceed to a hearing. In this case, the parties did not agree to an expedited procedure, meaning the case followed the standard timetable.
Senegal’s appeal seeks to have the CAF Appeal Board decision set aside and for Senegal to be recognised as the winners of AFCON 2025.
Thursday’s hearing will take place at CAS headquarters in Lausanne and will be held behind closed doors. Representatives of the FSF and FRMF will attend in person, while CAF will be represented by its lawyers.
The decision will determine whether CAF’s March ruling stands or whether the original result of the January final, in which Senegal won 1-0 on the pitch, is restored.
For now, Morocco remains officially recognised by CAF as the 2025 African champion, while Senegal continues to challenge that decision before CAS.