The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) opened its hearing on Thursday into Senegal’s appeal against the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to strip the country of the Africa Cup of Nations title and award it to Morocco, with CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb confirming that all parties were represented by lawyers.
Speaking to Moroccan channel Arryadia TV, Reeb said: “The CAS hearing has started with representatives from all parties: Senegal, Morocco and CAF. All parties are represented by lawyers.”
He added that the proceedings were following a “fairly strict schedule, which was agreed upon by all the parties and their lawyers,” with the hearing expected to last the entire day until around 3:30 PM or 4:00 PM. “I don’t think we will go beyond 4:00 PM,” he said.
The Tribunal
The case is being heard by a three-member arbitration panel chaired by Professor Gérald Simon of France, alongside Professor Ulrich Haas of Germany and Professor Luigi Fumagalli of Italy. All three are distinguished legal scholars with extensive experience at the tribunal.
Gérald Simon has been a member of CAS for more than 20 years, while Luigi Fumagalli has 24 years of experience at the institution and has worked on several sports and Olympic cases. Ulrich Haas has served as chairman or party-appointed arbitrator in more than 300 arbitration proceedings, including cases constituted by the ICC, Swiss Arbitration and CAS.
The proceedings are being conducted in French, following an agreement between the parties.
What Is at Stake
The dispute traces back to the Africa Cup of Nations final held in Rabat on 18 January 2026, when Senegal beat hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time. The match was overshadowed by controversy when Senegal players walked off the pitch in protest at a disputed penalty awarded against them deep in stoppage time.
Following an appeal by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), CAF’s Appeals Board ruled on 17 March 2026 that Senegal had forfeited the match by leaving the field of play without the referee’s authorisation. The board invoked Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON Regulations, declaring the result “officially recorded as 3-0” in favour of Morocco.
Senegal vehemently rejected the ruling, describing it as “unjust,” and lodged a formal appeal with CAS on 25 March 2026. The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) is seeking to overturn CAF’s decision and reclaim the trophy.
It is understood that the dispute will not affect either nation’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as the sanctions imposed by CAF apply only to competitions organised by the continental body.
What Happens Next
Reeb indicated that CAS aims to resolve the dispute as quickly as possible but cautioned against expecting an immediate verdict. “I don’t think the decision will come today or tomorrow — I can be fairly certain of that,” he said. “We may need to wait until this afternoon for further information from the tribunal, after which I may be able to provide more details.”
He explained that the arbitrators may need “a few days, or even a few weeks” if they decide to draft a full decision with legal reasoning. CAS has previously indicated that a decision could be expected within days.
The hearing was held behind closed doors at the request of the parties, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the timeline for a final ruling. The outcome will determine who is officially recognised as the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations champion — a decision that has far-reaching implications for both federations and the credibility of African football governance.
