CAS Concludes Hearing on Senegal's Appeal Over Stripped AFCON Title, Verdict Expected Within Days

On Thursday, behind closed doors in Lausanne, a three-member Court of Arbitration for Sport panel concluded a five-hour hearing that will finally determine the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations champion. The tribunal is now deliberating Senegal’s appeal against the Confederation of African Football, which stripped the Teranga Lions of their title in March.[1][3]

CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb emerged to promise a speedy decision within days, acknowledging the agonizing ten-month wait for supporters across the continent. "I know it's a long wait for the fans a few months after the final between Senegal and Morocco," Reeb told reporters.[1][4]

The unprecedented legal dispute stems from the chaotic January 18 final in Rabat. Senegalese players walked off the pitch for nearly 20 minutes in protest after Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a late penalty in a scoreless match.[2][3]

When the Senegalese squad eventually returned to the field, Moroccan forward Brahim Diaz missed the ensuing spot-kick, allowing the match to proceed into extra time. Midfielder Pape Gueye then scored the decisive goal, seemingly securing the trophy for Senegal before a hostile away crowd.

Two months later, CAF’s Appeal Board unilaterally overturned the result. The governing body ruled that Senegal had violated tournament regulations by leaving the field without the referee's authorization, retroactively declaring a 3-0 forfeit victory for Morocco.[3]

Senegalese Football Federation president Abdoulaye Sow, who attended the Lausanne hearing, has characterized the CAF decision as an administrative robbery. Senegal’s legal team argues that the referee's on-field decision to resume the match is final under the established Laws of the Game.[5]

Sports law researchers note that the International Football Association Board guidelines generally prevent overturning a referee's decision to continue play. CAS procedural rules also heavily favor respecting an official's on-field judgment unless explicit bad faith or corruption is proven.

The Moroccan delegation declined to comment following Thursday's session. Their legal argument relies on a strict interpretation of the tournament rules, asserting that any unauthorized departure from the pitch constitutes an automatic abandonment of the match, regardless of the referee's actions.[5]

The case arrives amid broader scrutiny of CAF's internal governance and administrative procedures. On March 18, the Senegalese government formally requested an international investigation into suspected corruption within the organization, escalating the diplomatic tension surrounding the fixture.

That request pointed to the unexplained dismissal of CAF's integrity lawyer, Yassin Osman Robleh, just two weeks before the Morocco ruling. Robleh had overseen the integrity of the confederation's procedures for six years before his sudden removal.

The CAS panel, chaired by French civil rights expert Gérald Simon alongside Italian and German law professors, will not issue its decision immediately. However, with the 2027 AFCON qualification cycle already underway, African football awaits a definitive resolution to its most complex administrative dispute.[5]