Senegal to appeal Caf Afcon title reversal at CAS

Senegal will take its dispute with the Confederation of African Football (Caf) to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after the governing body overturned the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final result and awarded the title to Morocco.

The decision, announced by Caf’s appeal board, ruled that Senegal had forfeited the final following their walk-off during a controversial stoppage-time penalty incident, leading to the match being recorded as a 3-0 win for Morocco. The Senegalese Football Federation described the ruling as “unfair” and said it would pursue legal action to challenge the decision at CAS.

The dispute stems from the January 18 final, where Senegal had initially secured a 1-0 victory after extra time. The match was disrupted when Senegal’s players briefly left the field in protest after a penalty was awarded to Morocco deep into stoppage time. Caf later determined that the action violated tournament regulations, specifically rules governing refusal to continue play.

Under Caf’s statutes, teams that abandon a match without authorisation can be declared losers by default. The appeal board concluded that these provisions applied, effectively nullifying Senegal’s win and retroactively awarding Morocco the title.

Senegal’s move to CAS sets the stage for a high-stakes legal battle that could redefine the final outcome. The federation argues that the ruling undermines the integrity of the competition and risks damaging the credibility of African football governance.

The case is now expected to shift to international sports arbitration, where CAS will review whether Caf correctly applied its regulations in overturning a completed final. Similar disputes in global football have often hinged on procedural interpretation and the proportionality of sanctions.