Senegal’s Fight to Regain AFCON 2025 Title Gets Clarity as Court Sets Hearing Date for Appeal

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has set a date to hear the appeal concerning the controversial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, which saw Morocco awarded the title.

In a statement released Thursday from its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, CAS confirmed that a hearing is scheduled for October 8. The case involves the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF).

The dispute originated from the dramatic conclusion of the AFCON 2025 final. Senegal's players walked off the pitch during extra time to protest a penalty awarded to Morocco. However, the players returned and the match proceeded, Morocco’s Brahim Diaz missing the contentious penalty before Senegal scored to win the game 1-0.

However, Morocco protested and in response, CAF declared that Senegal had forfeited the match, awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory and the championship.

Senegal formally lodged an appeal with CAS on March 25, seeking to overturn CAF's decision and be declared the rightful 2025 AFCON champions. According to CAS, the case is following a standard timeline as the parties involved did not agree to an expedited process.

Following the October hearing, an arbitration panel will deliberate before delivering a final verdict. CAS clarified that a decision will not be announced on the day of the hearing and did not provide a specific timeframe for the final ruling.

The court also took the opportunity to caution against misinformation circulating online regarding the case. "Only information provided through CAS channels is considered official," the statement noted, confirming that all future updates will be released via its official platforms.

With the hearing now on the calendar, the official winner of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations remains in limbo pending the court's ultimate judgment.