The Court of Arbitration for Sport will hear Senegal’s challenge to the decision that stripped the team of its 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final victory and awarded Morocco a 3-0 win by forfeit. The hearing is set for October 8 in Lausanne. Senegal’s football federation is appealing a Confederation of African Football ruling that overturned Senegal’s 1-0 extra-time victory.
The disputed result
The final took place in Rabat on January 18. After Morocco received a penalty, Senegal’s players left the pitch for more than 15 minutes. They later returned, and Senegal won 1-0 in extra time.
CAF overturned the result after Morocco filed a complaint. It declared Senegal the loser by forfeit and gave Morocco a 3-0 victory. The federation wants CAS to review that decision. The hearing will decide whether CAF’s ruling stands or gets overturned.
Two results from the same final now face the arbitration panel: Senegal’s 1-0 win on the field and CAF’s later 3-0 forfeit decision. The case centers on the ruling that replaced the extra-time result after the interruption and Morocco’s complaint.
A closed-door hearing
CAS will hold the hearing behind closed doors and in French. A three-member panel, chaired by Frenchman Gérald Simon, will examine the case. It will consider Senegal’s appeal against CAF’s decision.
The hearing is set for October 8 in Lausanne. CAS’s ruling will determine whether the decision declaring Senegal the loser by forfeit remains in force or is overturned. The source gives no date for when CAS will issue its ruling.
What the ruling will decide
The appeal follows events that began when Morocco received a penalty during the final. Senegal’s players left the pitch for more than 15 minutes, then returned. Senegal went on to win 1-0 in extra time. CAF later reversed the result after Morocco complained.
The Senegalese Football Federation is challenging CAF’s later decision, not the reported score at the end of extra time. CAS will hear the challenge behind closed doors. A three-member panel chaired by Gérald Simon will examine the case in French.
The account gives no financial terms. It sets out the competing sporting decisions and the appeal process: Senegal’s extra-time win, CAF’s forfeit ruling and Morocco’s 3-0 award, followed by the federation’s challenge at CAS. The panel will decide which ruling stands.