Senegalese Football Federation has officially lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, seeking to overturn a controversial ruling by the Confederation of African Football over the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.
The appeal, registered on March 25, 2026, marks a significant escalation in the dispute that has overshadowed the tournament’s conclusion.
The case stems from a CAF decision issued on March 17, 2026, which declared that Senegal had forfeited the AFCON final. As a result, Morocco was awarded a 3-0 victory and officially crowned champions.
CAF’s ruling followed the controversial events during the final, where Senegal players staged a protest that disrupted the match, leading to disciplinary action by the governing body.
Senegal Seeks Reinstatement as AFCON Winners
In its filing, the FSF is asking CAS to set aside CAF’s decision and instead declare Senegal as the rightful winners of AFCON 2025.
Additionally, Senegal has requested an immediate suspension of the deadline to submit its full appeal brief, arguing that CAF has yet to provide the detailed grounds for its initial ruling.
CAS confirmed receipt of the appeal and indicated that an arbitral panel will be appointed to handle the matter. Once constituted, the panel will set a procedural calendar for submissions and hearings.
Under standard CAS rules, the appellant has 20 days to submit a detailed appeal brief, after which the respondents, CAF and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, will have an additional 20 days to respond.
However, due to Senegal’s request to suspend deadlines, CAS noted that it is too early to determine the timeline or schedule a hearing.
The appeal introduces fresh uncertainty over the final outcome of AFCON 2025, which had already been decided off the pitch following CAF’s disciplinary ruling.
With the case now before CAS, the ultimate winner of the tournament could yet change, depending on the tribunal’s final decision.
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