CAS to Rule on Senegal's AFCON Title Appeal at End of November

Senegal to wait until November for AFCON final verdict

CAS confirms decision on Senegal's appeal over AFCON title stripped by CAF will come at end of November with complete legal ruling.

AFCON final ruling due in November as CAS delays decision on Senegal Appeal...

The Court of Arbitration for Sport will deliver its verdict on Senegal's appeal against being stripped of this year's Africa Cup of Nations title at the end of November, the court confirmed on Monday.

Senegal are challenging the Confederation of African Football's decision to award Morocco the AFCON trophy, despite beating the hosts 1-0 after extra time in January's final in Rabat, with submissions from Senegal, Morocco and CAF heard by CAS in Lausanne on October 8.

CAS had initially indicated that a decision would come within days, but has now opted to publish a full ruling with legal reasoning, referred to as a CAS Award.

“This process will require several weeks, with the CAS Award expected at the end of November 2026,” CAS said in a statement.

Senegal's appeal against the awarding of the 2025 AFCON title to Morocco took place behind closed doors at CAS headquarters in Lausanne on Thursday 8 October. CAS now confirm the Panel are in ongoing deliberations. A decision is expected at the end of November. https://t.co/mbQN0oatck

— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) October 19, 2026

Senegal left the pitch for 14 minutes after a late penalty was awarded against them in normal time, with several players heading to the dressing room in protest before eventually returning to continue the match.

Morocco failed to convert the penalty, which forced the game into extra time, where Senegal netted the winner to claim victory.

However, two months later they were stripped of the title when CAF's Appeal Board ruled that Senegal had forfeited the game by walking off, overturning the result and handing Morocco a 3-0 win.

Senegal immediately appealed to sport's highest tribunal, CAS, filing the case on March 25th, though it was not heard until some six months later. Their case rests on the argument that the referee's decision is final and he permitted the match to be completed.

“I know it's a long wait for the fans a few months after the final between Senegal and Morocco,” CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb said outside the hearing earlier this month.

“I expect the decision to come not today, not tomorrow, but a few days later. The facts are set, are clear, and the discussions will be on some procedural issues ‌and legal aspects,” he added.

The CAS panel is chaired by French sports law specialist Gerald Simon, supported by Italian international law professor Luigi Fumagalli and Hamburg-based lawyer and University of Zurich law professor Ulrich Haas.

CAS rulings are known as awards and carry the same weight as a national court judgment, enforceable under the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards. Depending on the case, CAS awards can be enforced by sports federations or by state courts.