The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has scheduled a hearing for October 8 to address the dispute surrounding the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final. This hearing will determine the official winner of the tournament, a title currently contested between Morocco and Senegal.
The controversy stems from the final match played on January 18, where Senegal initially secured a 1-0 victory over Morocco after extra time. However, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) later stripped Senegal of the title, awarding a 3-0 win to Morocco.
Final Match Controversy and CAF Decision
During the final, Senegal believed they had taken a late lead, but their goal was disallowed due to a push. In the closing stages of regular time, Morocco was awarded a penalty. This decision led to a protest from Senegal‘s players, who walked off the pitch.
Upon their return, Brahim Díaz took the penalty with a panenka, which was caught by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. The match then proceeded to extra time, where Pape Gueye scored the winning goal for Senegal against Yassine Bounou, securing what appeared to be the championship.
However, two months later, CAF invoked Article 82 of its regulations, which states that teams leaving the pitch before the final whistle automatically forfeit the match. On March 17, the CAF appeal board awarded a 3-0 victory to Morocco, citing Senegal‘s infringement of Article 82 and applying Article 84.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation had filed a complaint, arguing that referee Jean-Jacques Ndala should have ruled Senegal to have forfeited the match when their players returned to the dressing room for 14 minutes in protest of the late penalty awarded to the host nation, Morocco.
CAS Appeal Process
Senegal disagreed with CAF‘s decision and subsequently lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The Senegalese Football Federation filed its appeal on March 25, seeking to overturn the CAF ruling and be declared the rightful winner of the tournament.
The upcoming hearing on October 8 will involve the Senegalese Football Association, the African Football Confederation (CAF), and the Moroccan Football Association (FRMF). CAS confirmed that the hearing will take place behind closed doors at its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The parties involved did not agree to an expedited procedure, meaning the case will follow the standard timetable under CAS procedural rules. CAS has also stated that a decision will not be issued on the day of the hearing itself, and the panel will begin its deliberations afterwards.
The court has also issued a warning regarding inaccurate information circulating online about the case, advising that only statements published through its official channels should be considered official information. The final ruling date has not been provided by CAS.
The Africa Cup of Nations final saw a number of controversial calls from officials, players, and management. The decision to award a penalty to Morocco after a VAR check prompted the then-Senegal coach Pape Thiaw to lead his players off the pitch. Despite Brahim Diaz missing the subsequent spot-kick, and Pape Gueye securing a win in extra time, the post-match ruling by CAF led to the current appeal.
The hearing on October 8 will be a crucial step in resolving the dispute over the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title.
Source: goal.com
