Senegal Take AFCON Case to Court of Arbitration for Sport, Appeal Confirmed
- The battle to determine the rightful AFCON champions has taken a fresh twist after Senegal officially appealed CAF’s decision to strip them of the 2025 title
- The appeal seeks to have CAF’s ruling overturned, with Senegal pushing to be reinstated as champions instead of Morocco
- An official from the Court of Arbitration for Sport has since indicated that the body is fully equipped to handle the case
Senegal has taken its fight to reclaim the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title to the highest level, officially filing an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport on March 25.
The move marks a major escalation in the dispute after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) handed the trophy to Morocco, overturning Senegal’s victory on the pitch.
Source: Getty Images
Senegal files CAS appeal over AFCON decision
The controversy dates back to the final on January 18, when Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 thanks to an extra-time strike from Pape Gueye.
But that result was later nullified by CAF’s Appeal Board, which ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match after a 17-minute walk-off in protest.
Watch how Senegalese players left the field on YouTube:
In its statement, CAF said Senegal had been "declared to have forfeited the final match" with the "result of the match being recorded as 3-0 in favour" of Morocco.
The ruling cited Articles 82 and 84 of the competition regulations. Article 82 states that any team that refuses to continue play or leaves the pitch without the referee’s approval is considered to have lost the match.
Article 84 goes further, confirming a 3-0 defeat and elimination for such an offence.
Senegal’s football authority, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), rejected the verdict, describing it as "an unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable decision which brings discredit to African football", while declaring intentions to challenge the ruling.
They have now followed through on that stance, officially lodging an appeal, seeking to have CAF’s decision annulled and to be reinstated as champions.
CAS outlines process as legal battle begins
The appeal also includes a request to suspend the deadline for submitting a full legal brief until CAF provides detailed grounds for its decision, which were not included in the initial March 17 ruling.
CAS has confirmed receipt of the appeal and outlined the next steps.
"A CAS arbitration panel will be appointed to handle the case, after which a procedural timetable will be set. In accordance with CAS rules, the appellant has 20 days to file a detailed appeal brief outlining its legal arguments, after which the respondents have another 20 days to submit their defence.
"At this stage, and given FSF’s request to suspend the deadline, it is not yet possible to determine the timeline of proceedings or indicate when a hearing will take place."
Source: Getty Images
CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb also addressed the situation:
“CAS is fully equipped to handle this type of dispute, with the support of specialised and independent arbitrators.
"We understand that teams and fans want a final decision as quickly as possible, and we will ensure the arbitration process proceeds as efficiently as possible while respecting the right of all parties to a fair hearing.”
With the case now officially underway, attention shifts to Lausanne, where a ruling could shape the future of one of the most disputed AFCON finals in recent history.
CAF releases update on Senegal's AFCON case
Before Senegal filed their appeal, YEN.com.gh reported that CAF had issued an update on the AFCON controversy following its widely debated ruling.
The body stripped the Teranga Lions of the title and awarded it to hosts Morocco by walkover, a decision that drew widespread criticism.
Source: YEN.com.gh
