One of the most controversial chapters in African football history is set to enter a decisive new phase after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirmed that it will hear Senegal’s appeal against the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on 8 October 2026 in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The case centres on the dramatic AFCON 2025 final in Rabat, where Senegal defeated hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time thanks to a goal from Pape Gueye. However, the match became engulfed in controversy when Senegalese players temporarily walked off the pitch in protest after Morocco were awarded a late penalty following a VAR review. The game was delayed before Senegal returned to complete the match and eventually secured victory.
Months later, CAF’s Appeal Board overturned the result, ruling that Senegal had violated tournament regulations by leaving the field without permission and declaring the match forfeited. The final was officially recorded as a 3-0 victory for Morocco, with the title awarded to the Atlas Lions.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) is asking CAS to cancel CAF’s ruling and restore Senegal as the rightful AFCON champions. The appeal was officially registered on 25 March 2026, shortly after CAF’s decision.
Senegal’s argument is built around a simple but significant point: although the players briefly left the pitch, they later returned, completed the match, and won it on the field. The federation maintains that CAF’s decision to retroactively alter the result was unjustified.
CAF’s Appeal Board relied on Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations, concluding that Senegal’s conduct amounted to forfeiture of the final. The board subsequently annulled the on-field result and awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory.
That decision immediately sparked fierce debate across African football, with supporters, analysts, former players, and legal experts divided over whether disciplinary regulations should outweigh a result that had already been completed on the pitch.
The October hearing is about much more than one trophy.
The case could establish an important precedent regarding:
How far football authorities can go in overturning completed match results.
The relationship between referees’ decisions and post-match disciplinary rulings.
Whether temporary player protests should automatically lead to forfeiture.
The balance between enforcing discipline and preserving sporting integrity.
Legal observers will be watching closely because the final result could influence how similar disputes are handled across African and international football in the future.
CAS has confirmed that the hearing will take place behind closed doors and that no verdict will be delivered on the day of the hearing. After listening to submissions from Senegal, CAF, and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, the arbitration panel will deliberate before issuing a final ruling at a later date.
For now, Morocco remains the official AFCON 2025 champion, while Senegal continues its legal battle to have the title restored. The football match ended in January, but the fight over who should be recognised as African champions is far from over.