The Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed on Friday that the hearing will take place at its headquarters in Lausanne and will be held behind closed doors after neither party requested public proceedings. A ruling will not be delivered on the day of the hearing itself, according to the CAS statement, which added that the sports court cannot yet indicate when a final decision will be rendered. Senegal is asking the tribunal to overturn the Confederation of African Football decision and declare the West African nation the rightful 2025 AFCON champion. The CAS has handled numerous high-profile football disputes in the past, establishing precedents that often shape governance across global competitions.
The dispute traces back to the January final hosted by Morocco, where Senegal defeated the Atlas Lions 1-0 after extra time despite a dramatic late incident, match reports from the Confederation of African Football show. A stoppage-time penalty awarded to Morocco was saved by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, prompting Senegal players to walk off the pitch in protest and causing a 15-minute delay before captain Sadio Mane persuaded his teammates to resume play. The Lions of Teranga held on for the victory, yet the events triggered a formal review under tournament regulations that prohibit refusing to play, a CAF disciplinary panel determined months later.
CAF’s appeal board ruled on March 17 that Senegal had breached the competition rules, leading to the team’s elimination and the subsequent awarding of the title to Morocco, according to the confederation’s official findings. The decision ignited debate throughout African football federations and drew attention from political figures, with a statement from the Moroccan royal court noting that King Mohammed VI pardoned 18 Senegalese fans arrested in connection with the final. Senegal’s football federation responded by filing an appeal with the CAS within the permitted timeframe, seeking to restore the title it believes it legitimately earned on the field.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport statement issued Friday underscores that the October 8 session will focus solely on arguments from the involved parties without setting a timeline for the verdict. Morocco has been recognized as the 2025 champion in official CAF records pending the outcome, while Senegal continues to reference the on-pitch result in its public communications. Both national teams have maintained their preparations for upcoming international fixtures as the legal process advances through the independent arbitration body.
Broader context from Confederation of African Football archives reveals that title reallocations after a tournament concludes remain exceptionally rare in AFCON history, occurring only in cases of proven severe violations. The 2025 edition, hosted across Moroccan venues including the final in Rabat, drew record viewership across the continent according to CAF audience data, amplifying the stakes of the unresolved dispute. Officials from the Senegalese federation have indicated they will present evidence during the closed hearing to support their claim that the walk-off did not constitute a refusal under the specific circumstances of the match.
