CAS accepts Senegal's appeal for AFCON 2025 title

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has officially confirmed that it has registered an appeal from the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) aimed at overturning the CAF Appeal Board’s controversial decision to strip the Teranga Lions of their AFCON 2025 title. 

The CAF Appeal Board shocked the football world on March 17 by ruling that Senegal forfeited the AFCON final by staging a 15-minute walkout, subsequently awarding host nation Morocco a 3-0 administrative victory. 

In their legal filing, FSF is explicitly demanding that CAS annul the CAF decision and fully restore the Senegalese senior men’s national team as the legitimate continental champions. 

Additionally, Senegal has requested an immediate suspension of the deadline to submit their full legal brief until CAF formally provides the detailed grounds for its initial verdict, according to Ben Jacobs. 

CAS’s Director General Matthieu Reeb also released a statement assuring stakeholders that the tribunal is "perfectly equipped to resolve this type of dispute," promising that a panel of expert, independent arbitrators will conduct the proceedings as swiftly as possible while ensuring a fair hearing

The ongoing legal battle stems from chaotic scenes during the 2025 AFCON final on January 18, 2026, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. 

Enraged by referee Jean-Jacques Ndala's decision to award Morocco a penalty in stoppage time, the Senegalese team walked off the pitch in protest for approximately 15 minutes. 

Play eventually resumed, with goalkeeper Édouard Mendy saving Brahim Díaz's penalty, and Senegal secured a 1-0 victory in extra time thanks to a 94th-minute goal by Pape Gueye. 

While CAF's Disciplinary Board initially rejected Morocco's protest, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) escalated the issue. 

The CAF Appeal Board subsequently overturned the disciplinary ruling, applying Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations to declare that Senegal's temporary walk-off constituted an illegal match abandonment. 

Despite this, Senegal is highly confident that CAS will rule in their favour, with legal experts speculating that they will cite IFAB’s Law 5, which unequivocally states that a referee's decision regarding the final result of a match is absolute.