CAS to Rule on Senegal’s AFCON Title Appeal in November

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has announced that its verdict on Senegal’s appeal against the decision to strip the country of its Africa Cup of Nations title in favour of Morocco is expected at the end of November 2026.

CAS disclosed this in a statement on Monday, confirming that a hearing on the case was held behind closed doors at its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, on October 8.

The court said the panel of arbitrators had begun deliberations and would issue a comprehensive ruling, including the legal grounds for its decision, known as a CAS Award.

“The CAS arbitrators have decided to issue a complete ruling which includes legal grounds, known as a CAS Award. This process will require several weeks, with the CAS Award expected at the end of November 2026,” the statement said.

Senegal originally won the AFCON final on January 18 in Rabat, Morocco, with Pape Gueye scoring the decisive goal in extra time to secure a 1-0 victory.

However, the match was overshadowed by controversy late in normal time after the referee awarded Morocco a penalty while the score remained goalless.

Several Senegalese players walked off the pitch in protest, while some supporters attempted to invade the field. The match was delayed for nearly 20 minutes before the players returned and play resumed.

In March, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) overturned the result, awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory and the continental title.

Senegal subsequently challenged the decision at CAS, seeking to overturn CAF’s ruling.

The forthcoming verdict is expected to determine the outcome of the dispute over the AFCON title.