CAS deliberates after hearing on Senegal-Morocco Africa Cup of Nations final

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) held a decisive hearing on Thursday in Lausanne on the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, pitting the Senegalese and Moroccan football federations against each other. The decision will not be immediate: the court announced it would deliver its verdict “within days, or even weeks”.

The dispute dates back to January, when Senegal won the final against Morocco 1-0. The match was disrupted by strong protests from Senegalese players, who temporarily left the pitch after a penalty was awarded to Morocco late in the game.

In March, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) reversed the result, awarding victory to Morocco by default (3-0) on the grounds that Senegal had forfeited by abandoning the field. The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) immediately appealed to the CAS to contest this decision and claim the title.

The hearing was held behind closed doors. Following the arguments, Abdoulaye Sow, secretary general of the FSF, expressed satisfaction with the performance of his legal representatives. “Our lawyers presented our case, presented all our observations and were heard by the arbitration panel,” he said. “I cannot say what really happened, as it is confidential to the deliberation. But I can assure you that Senegal defended itself well.”

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), for its part, made no statement upon leaving the court. The CAS verdict, expected soon, will definitively settle the question of the attribution of the 2025 African champion title.