The battle over the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title has taken another turn, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirming it will deliver a verdict “as swiftly as possible” after Senegal formally challenged the decision that stripped them of the trophy.
Senegal had originally beaten Morocco 1-0 in the final on 18 January, but the result was later overturned by the Confederation of African Football, who awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory following a controversial incident late in the game. Senegal’s players had walked off the pitch in protest after a stoppage-time penalty was awarded to the hosts, before eventually returning to complete the match.
After a complaint from the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, CAF ruled that Senegal’s actions breached tournament regulations, declaring the match forfeited and handing Morocco the title.
Senegal’s football federation has now escalated the matter to CAS, seeking to overturn CAF’s decision and be reinstated as champions. The appeal was officially registered on 25 March 2026, with Senegal also requesting more time to submit a detailed brief until the full grounds of CAF’s ruling are released.
In a statement confirming this development, CAS penned: “The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirms receipt of an appeal by the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF, in French) against the Confederation of African Football(CAF) and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF, in French). The appeal concerns a CAS decision on 17 March 2026 declaring that the Senegal national team forfeited the final of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 and recording the Moroccan national team as the winners of the match by 3-0.”
CAS director general Matthieu Reeb acknowledged the urgency of the situation, stating that while fans and teams are eager for clarity, the process must still respect fairness and due procedure. He added that arbitration will move quickly, but no exact timeline has been set for a final ruling.
With both federations standing firm, the dispute has cast a shadow over the tournament’s outcome, leaving the final decision in the hands of sport’s highest arbitration body.
