Senegal’s title fight reaches Lausanne
Senegal’s attempt to reclaim the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title will be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on October 8, 2026. The Senegalese Football Federation is appealing against both the Confederation of African Football and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.
The hearing will take place behind closed doors at CAS headquarters in Lausanne. According to an official procedural update issued by CAS, the parties did not agree to expedite the case and did not ask for the hearing to be made public.
The final that descended into chaos
Senegal originally defeated hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time in Rabat on January 18. The controversy erupted late in normal time when Morocco were awarded a penalty and most of the Senegalese team temporarily left the pitch in protest.
The players eventually returned, allowing Brahim Díaz to take the penalty, but Édouard Mendy saved his attempted Panenka. Pape Gueye then scored three minutes into extra time to secure what initially appeared to be Senegal’s second continental title, as described in CAF’s original match report.
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CAF erased the result two months later
Senegal’s celebrations were overturned on March 17 when the CAF Appeals Board ruled that the team had forfeited the final by refusing to continue. The 1-0 result was replaced by a 3-0 victory for Morocco, who were subsequently recorded as the tournament winners.
The Senegalese federation lodged its appeal with CAS on March 25. It is asking the arbitration panel to set aside CAF’s decision and formally declare Senegal the winner of AFCON 2025.
Senegal calls it an ‘administrative robbery’
Senegal has reacted furiously to the loss of a title its players believed they had won legitimately on the pitch. Federation president Abdoulaye Fall called the ruling “the most grossly unfair administrative robbery” in football history.
The remarks were quoted by Associated Press journalist Samuel Petrequin, who reported that Senegal had assembled lawyers from several countries to challenge the decision. The federation argues that CAF failed to provide sufficiently detailed reasons for its ruling and maintains that the referee allowed the final to resume and finish normally.
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No champion will be crowned on October 8
The hearing date does not mean the dispute will be resolved immediately. CAS has confirmed that its panel will begin deliberations after hearing the parties but will not announce its decision on October 8.
The court has not provided a date for the final ruling. Until that verdict arrives, CAF officially records Morocco as champion, while Senegal continues to demand the return of the trophy it lifted after Gueye’s extra-time winner.
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