The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has fixed October 8, 2026, as the date it will hear Senegal’s appeal against the decision that stripped the country of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title.
The hearing will take place at CAS headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, almost nine months after the controversial final in Rabat and more than six months after the appeal was officially lodged.
Senegal were initially crowned African champions after defeating hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time in the AFCON 2025 final on January 18. Pape Gueye’s extra-time winner appeared to seal the country’s second continental title, with the Teranga Lions celebrating on Moroccan soil after a tightly contested final.
The celebrations, however, proved short-lived.
In March, CAF’s Disciplinary Board ruled that Senegal had forfeited the final, awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory and recognising the hosts as the official winners of AFCON 2025. The decision sparked widespread debate across African football, with questions raised over the circumstances that led to the ruling and its implications for one of the most controversial finals in the competition’s history.
Unhappy with the outcome, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) filed an appeal with CAS on March 25, asking the independent tribunal to overturn CAF’s decision, annul the forfeiture ruling and restore Senegal as the official champions of the tournament.
CAS confirmed on Friday that the hearing will take place on October 8 in Lausanne. It will be held behind closed doors after none of the parties requested a public hearing.
The tribunal also said the case is following its standard procedure after the parties did not agree to an expedited process. Once the hearing concludes, the three-member panel will begin its deliberations before delivering a written judgment at a later date.
CAS added that it cannot yet indicate when a final verdict will be issued.
The Lausanne-based court also urged caution over reports circulating online about the case, stressing that only information released through its official communication channels should be treated as authoritative until a decision is reached.
