Senegal and Morocco must wait until the end of November to learn who will ultimately be recognised as the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations champions.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has pushed its expected ruling on Senegal’s appeal against CAF’s decision to award Morocco the title to late November.
The development prolongs one of African football’s most extraordinary disputes, with a continental championship now being contested in court rather than on the pitch.
Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 after extra time in January’s final, but CAF subsequently overturned the result and awarded the hosts a 3-0 victory.
Senegal challenged that decision, taking the dispute to CAS in Lausanne, Switzerland, where an appeal hearing was held behind closed doors on October 8.
The arbitration panel is continuing its deliberations, leaving both countries uncertain about the final outcome of the continental championship.
How the dispute began
The controversy arose during a chaotic final in Rabat, where Senegalese players temporarily left the pitch following a disputed penalty decision favouring Morocco.
The incident interrupted proceedings before the players returned and the match resumed, eventually producing a Senegal victory after extra time.
However, CAF’s Appeal Board subsequently ruled that Senegal had forfeited the encounter, awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory under competition regulations.
That decision effectively stripped Senegal of the title they had secured on the field, triggering an appeal to sport’s highest arbitration tribunal.
At the centre of the dispute is whether Senegal’s temporary withdrawal constituted a forfeiture despite the referee allowing the match to continue.
Senegal’s challenge seeks to overturn CAF’s decision and restore the result achieved when the two teams completed the final.
Morocco, meanwhile, stand to retain the title awarded through CAF’s disciplinary process if the arbitration panel upholds the governing body’s ruling.
A decision beyond the trophy
The case raises wider questions about the relationship between refereeing authority, disciplinary regulations and the finality of results in African football.
While match officials oversee proceedings on the field, CAF’s disciplinary structures retain powers to sanction teams for breaches of competition regulations.
The arbitration panel must consider the applicable regulations and arguments presented before determining whether CAF’s decision should stand.
Its ruling could also influence how future incidents involving temporary player withdrawals are handled in major continental competitions.
For Senegal, the appeal represents an opportunity to reclaim a championship won after 120 minutes of football against the tournament hosts.
For Morocco, the proceedings offer a chance to secure legal confirmation of the title awarded following CAF’s review of the final.
Both countries must now wait several more weeks before the dispute reaches its anticipated conclusion.