The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has announced a pivotal hearing date concerning the contentious dispute surrounding the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, which will determine the rightful champion between Morocco and Senegal. In an official statement released today, Friday, the CAS confirmed that the hearing is set to take place on October 8 at its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. This session follows the appeal lodged by the Senegalese Football Federation on March 25.
Today’s announcement by CAS corroborates earlier reports suggesting that the hearing would occur in either September or October, amidst swirling rumors on social media that a ruling might be announced as early as July. The Senegalese Football Federation is seeking to nullify a decision made by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) that deemed the Senegalese team as having withdrawn from the final match, effectively awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory and the championship title.
In its appeal to CAS, the Senegalese federation is also requesting to be recognized as the rightful champions of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The CAS clarified in its statement that the parties involved did not agree to expedite the proceedings, thus adhering to the regular schedule in line with the court's procedural rules. Furthermore, the hearing date was established after consulting all parties, who did not request a public session, indicating that the proceedings will occur behind closed doors.
Once the hearing concludes, the arbitration panel will begin its deliberations, and a final decision will be issued at a later date. The court emphasized that it is currently unable to specify when the ruling will be announced, underlining that the decision will not be made on the day of the hearing.
CAS has also issued a warning regarding the circulation of unofficial information online related to the case, asserting that only data released through its official channels is deemed valid. It reiterated that any announcements pertaining to this matter will be published on its official website and urged accredited media to direct inquiries to the court's media office.
Previously, CAS had released a statement earlier this July, denying any ruling in favor of Senegal amidst the rumors circulating on various fan platforms at that time. The anticipation surrounding the court’s decision is palpable among African football fans, who await confirmation on whether CAS will uphold the CAF's ruling made on March 17 or annul it entirely.
The CAF Appeals Committee had overturned the initial decision, which stripped the Senegalese team of the title and handed it administratively to Morocco, following incidents that occurred during the final match. This decision came after Senegalese players temporarily left the pitch during extra time in protest against a penalty awarded to Morocco, which was subsequently missed, before Senegal managed to score a goal through Baba Gaye.
Despite Morocco's failure to convert the penalty into a goal, the African Football Confederation ruled Morocco the winner with a 3-0 administrative victory due to the violations committed by the Senegalese team, according to the Appeals Committee's decision. The Senegalese Football Federation vehemently rejected this verdict, deeming it 'unfair' and labeling it 'administrative theft,' subsequently filing an official appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport to reclaim its title rights.
The upcoming CAS session is critical in determining the fate of the championship, leading to one of two scenarios: either the CAF's decision will be upheld, confirming Morocco as the champion of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, or the penalty will be rescinded, restoring the original match result and awarding the title to Senegal.
As reported by kooora.com.
