The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) opened a hearing in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Thursday, October 8, 2026, to address the Senegal Football Federation’s appeal against a CAF decision. The ruling, which stripped Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and awarded it to Morocco, remains a contested legal dispute.
The Lausanne Hearing and Potential Resolution
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) convened behind closed doors on Thursday to hear arguments from the Senegalese and Moroccan football federations, alongside representatives from the Confederation of African Football (CAF). While the hearing marks a definitive step in the long-running dispute, Matthieu Reeb, the director general of the court, confirmed that a final verdict would not be issued immediately. Reeb emphasized that the court’s objective is to issue a reasoned judgment as soon as possible following the session.
The arbitrators previously participated in high-profile events; for instance, Fumagalli served in temporary arbitration bodies during the Beijing 2008, Sochi 2014, and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, while Haas sat on the panel for the 2014 Fenerbahçe case against UEFA regarding match-fixing allegations.
Following the session, Abdoulaye Sow, general secretary of the Senegalese federation, stated that the Senegalese legal team had presented their case and noted that the parties are bound by the confidentiality of the proceedings. The Moroccan delegation did not provide public comments after departing the Lausanne venue.
Disputed Events of the 2025 Final
The legal conflict stems from the final match held in Rabat on January 18, 2026. During the match, Senegalese players protested a penalty kick awarded to Morocco in the closing minutes of regulation time. The team briefly left the pitch, halting the game for over 14 minutes, before being persuaded to return to complete the match. Senegal ultimately won 1-0 after extra time.
On March 17, 2026, the CAF Appeal Committee ruled that Senegal had “withdrawn” from the final, invoking Articles 82 and 84 of the competition regulations. This administrative decision awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory, effectively overriding the result achieved on the field. Senegal challenged this, arguing that the match was completed under the authority of the referee, Jean-Jacques Ndala.
Panel Evaluates Conflicting Reports on Match Officiating
A point of contention surfaced during the hearing regarding the referee’s reporting of the match. According to reports from the session, the Moroccan defense suggested the existence of a second report from the match official. CAF lawyers reportedly rejected this claim, maintaining that the initial documentation provided the factual basis for the federation’s disciplinary action.
Legal observers note that the CAS panel now faces three potential paths: upholding the CAF ruling in favor of Morocco, overturning the decision to restore the original 1-0 result for Senegal, or remanding the case back to CAF for further review. The court’s decision will depend on whether the arbitrators find the CAF Appeal Committee’s application of tournament regulations to be procedurally sound.
