Who will be awarded the 2025/26 Africa Cup of Nations title? This question is likely to be finally resolved at the end of November. This was announced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has now published a timetable for its ruling in one of the most high-profile cases in its history. A decision on whether Senegal or Morocco will be declared the winner of the last Africa Cup of Nations is due to be announced at the end of November.
As the CAS announced on Monday, the tribunal has begun its deliberations and will continue them. The aim is “to issue a comprehensive ruling setting out the legal grounds”, the statement said. The proceedings are expected to last several weeks, with the ruling due to be announced at the end of November.
Hearing concluded
On 8 October, the hearing in the case took place behind closed doors at the CAS headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, with representatives of the two football associations involved, as well as lawyers from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), present in person. The three-member CAS tribunal in the case also includes the German Dr Ulrich Haas.
In the Africa Cup of Nations final on 18 January, which was marred by disturbances, Senegal had won 1–0 after extra time; however, a CAF appeals tribunal later awarded the match 3–0 to the hosts, Morocco, thereby declaring the North Africans the tournament winners. The Senegalese Football Association lodged an appeal against this decision and brought the case before the CAS.
The CAF tribunal had justified its decision on the grounds that the Senegalese team had abandoned the match by leaving the pitch in protest against a referee’s decision towards the end of normal time. At first instance, the Senegalese Football Association had been sentenced only to a fine.