Al-Hilal Omdurman have intensified their legal battle with Confederation of African Football over the eligibility of Hamza El Moussaoui, as the continental body confirmed a disciplinary hearing for 9 April 2026.
The Sudanese club is contesting the participation of the player for RS Berkane in the 2026 CAF Champions League, citing concerns over a provisional suspension linked to a positive doping test.
Case gathers momentum
The dispute first emerged publicly on 3 April, when Al-Hilal criticised CAF for failing to respond to four formal communications sent between 23 and 30 March.
In those submissions, the club requested clarification on the player’s eligibility and called for RS Berkane to be suspended from competition pending a full review.
Al-Hilal argue that the player’s involvement directly impacted their quarter-final tie, raising concerns about the integrity of the competition.
Hearing set amid growing tensions
CAF has now issued its first official summons, scheduling a hearing under case reference DC23337 for 9 April—just two days before the scheduled semi-final first leg between AS FAR and RS Berkane.
However, Al-Hilal say they have yet to receive the positions of other parties involved in the case, including RS Berkane and the player himself—something they describe as a breach of procedural rules.
Fresh demands from Al-Hilal
The club has now called on CAF to confirm by 11:00 AM (Cairo time) on 6 April whether a ruling will be delivered before the semi-final fixture on 11 April.
Failing that, Al-Hilal insist the match should be postponed until a final decision is reached. If no clarity is provided, the club says it will escalate the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Conflict of interest concerns
In a further development, Al-Hilal have raised objections over the composition of the disciplinary panel. The club claims the hearing will be chaired by the same official who lifted the player’s provisional suspension on 14 March; a decision they describe as unlawful and not communicated to them.
They are now requesting that the official be removed from the case, citing a potential conflict of interest.
Race against time
With the semi-final schedule approaching, the dispute has placed CAF under pressure to deliver a timely and transparent resolution.
