Has Senegal Filed CAS Appeal Against CAF’s Decision to Award Morocco 2025 AFCON Trophy?
- Uncertainty continues to surround Senegal’s bid to reclaim the 2025 AFCON trophy stripped from them by the Confederation of African Football
- The Teranga Lions have signalled their intention to challenge the decision, which saw their title won on the pitch retrospectively awarded to Morocco
- An official of the Senegalese Football Federation has disclosed that the country is currently building its case with CAS ahead of the March 27 deadline
Senegal’s bid to reclaim the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title remains in limbo, with confusion surrounding whether an official appeal has been filed at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The uncertainty follows CAF’s explosive decision to strip the Teranga Lions of the trophy they won on the pitch and hand it to Morocco, a ruling that has divided opinion across the football world.
Source: Getty Images
Has Senegal filed AFCON appeal at CAS?
In the days after the verdict, reports and social media posts suggested Senegal had already taken the matter to CAS.
That narrative quickly gathered pace, raising expectations of an imminent legal showdown, but that version of events appears premature.
According to multiple accounts, including updates shared by Ghanaian journalist Muftawu Nabila, CAS has not yet received any formal submission from Senegal.
Below is a post on X from Nabila regarding the rumoured appeal:
That position has now been backed by Moussa Mbaye, a member of the executive committee of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), as cited by Africa Soccer.
“We will submit the appeal to the court today, Tuesday, and we will begin the necessary procedures,” Mbaye explained, making it clear the process is only just getting underway.
He also pushed back against claims that CAS had already stepped in to suspend CAF’s decision, describing such reports as speculation.
“People will hear a lot of false news; however, they should be patient and wait for official statements from the Senegalese Federation,” he added.
Source: Getty Images
Legal battle looms over AFCON 2025 decision
Behind the scenes, the federation is working to build its case, compiling documents and preparing legal arguments ahead of the March 27 deadline.
If the appeal is submitted, it would trigger a high-stakes legal battle that could reshape the outcome of the tournament and set a major precedent for football governance on the continent.
For now, CAF, in its latest verdict, revised its official AFCON 2025 review, naming Morocco as champions, Senegal as runners-up, and Nigeria as third-place finishers.
The updates from the continent's football governing body have inevitably carried over to FIFA, with the global body swiftly aligning its records with the controversial AFCON ruling.
The move has handed Morocco a notable boost in the world rankings.
The updated FIFA rankings have been widely shared on X:
In the interim, the focus shifts to Lausanne, where CAS is based, with the case remaining on hold, even as tensions continue to rise.
Should the matter proceed, the court would have the last say on one of the most contentious AFCON decisions in recent memory.
Senegal star ready to return AFCON medal
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Idrissa Gueye said he would return his AFCON winners’ medal to Morocco after Senegal were stripped of the 2025 title.
While he criticised the decision, he also slammed the Senegalese Football Federation for challenging the CAF ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
