The dispute over the outcome of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final between Senegal and Morocco will move to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on 8 October.
The Court will hold its first hearing on an appeal brought by the Senegalese Football Federation against the decision of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) appeals board.
The hearing is not expected to determine the final outcome immediately, with CAS set to hear the arguments from the parties involved and examine the case before delivering its verdict.
A final decision is expected by mid-November at the latest, according to the information contained in the case.
The dispute stems from the controversial final between Senegal and hosts Morocco, which ended with the Teranga Lions winning 1-0 after extra time and initially lifting the trophy.
The match was interrupted for a lengthy period after Senegalese players left the field following a disputed refereeing decision.
CAF’s disciplinary committee initially upheld the result of the match, meaning Senegal’s victory remained intact at that stage.
The case subsequently took a different direction when the CAF appeals panel overturned that decision.
The appeals panel declared Senegal to have forfeited the final and awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory, effectively changing the outcome of the tournament final.
Senegal’s football federation responded by taking the case to CAS, challenging the decision made by CAF’s appeals body.
The central question for the arbitration proceedings will be the regulatory consequences of the Senegalese players’ temporary departure from the pitch during the final.
CAS will therefore be required to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine how the relevant regulations should be interpreted in relation to the events of the match.
For Senegal, the case represents an attempt to overturn the decision that stripped the side of the result it achieved on the pitch.
The Teranga Lions had won the final 1-0 after extra time before the CAF appeals process changed the official outcome.
Morocco, meanwhile, continues to stand by the CAF appeals decision.
Morocco Football Federation president Fouzi Lekjaa has maintained that his country will defend the decision of the CAF appeals jury and continues to regard the Atlas Lions as African champions based on that ruling.
Former Morocco coach Walid Regragui has also publicly backed that position.
Regragui declared: “I am an African champion, whether people like it or not.”
However, he also acknowledged the role of CAS in determining the final outcome of the dispute and said he would accept whatever decision the sports arbitration body reaches.
The 8 October hearing will therefore represent an important stage in a dispute that has continued for several months following the controversial final.
