Sports Court of Arbitration (CAS) nears final ruling in Africa Cup final dispute between Morocco and Senegal

The legal dispute surrounding the Africa Cup of Nations title has reached a critical stage, as the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) began hearing the appeal filed by the Senegalese Football Federation today in Lausanne, Switzerland. The appeal challenges the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to award the title to Morocco through an administrative ruling.

Closed-door hearing in Lausanne

The international sports court is conducting a closed-door hearing to examine the legal arguments presented by representatives from both the Moroccan and Senegalese federations, as well as the Confederation of African Football. Thibaut Ulrich, a sports law researcher at the University of Lausanne, described the case as an “exceptional situation” in the sporting landscape, noting the lack of precedent for stripping a team of a title won on the field and certified by the match referee.

The CAS confirmed it will not issue a final verdict today; the arbitration panel will begin deliberations immediately following the hearing, paving the way to resolve months of legal and sporting controversy.

Background of the controversial final

The crisis stems from the final held in Rabat on January 18, which Senegal won 1-0 after extra time. The match was marked by unusual scenes, with Senegalese players temporarily leaving the pitch in protest of a penalty awarded to Morocco during stoppage time.

Following a roughly 15-minute stoppage, the Senegalese team returned to play. The Moroccan player Brahim Diaz missed the penalty, and Senegal eventually scored the winning goal in extra time, celebrating the title on the pitch.

Legal arguments and CAF decision

Despite the on-field victory, the CAF Appeals Committee ruled on March 17 to award the match to Morocco with a 3-0 scoreline. The decision was based on Africa Cup of Nations regulations that strictly prohibit leaving the field before the legal end of the match without prior permission from the referee.

The Senegalese Federation has rejected this decision, calling it “the most egregious administrative robbery in the history of our sport,” and turned to the CAS to reclaim the title. The Senegalese defense rests on the core argument that the referee allowed the game to resume, officiated it to its legal conclusion, and officially crowned Senegal as champions.