The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has confirmed that the appeal brought by the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) over the outcome of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final will be heard on Thursday, October 8, at its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The hearing is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. and is expected to continue into the afternoon, with representatives of the parties set to appear before the arbitration panel.
The proceedings will take place behind closed doors, as none of the parties requested a public hearing. Journalists will therefore not be permitted inside the courtroom.
The Appeal Reaches CAS
The case, registered as TAS 2026/A/12295, concerns the FSF's challenge to the decision taken by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following the AFCON 2025 final.
Senegal initially won the match 1–0 after extra time in Rabat on January 18. However, CAF later ruled that the match had been forfeited after Senegal's players left the field in protest following a late penalty decision involving Morocco.
CAF subsequently awarded Morocco a 3–0 victory and recognized the Atlas Lions as the tournament champions.
The Senegalese federation formally appealed the decision to CAS on March 25, seeking to overturn CAF's ruling.
Representatives Set to Attend in Lausanne
The hearing will bring together representatives from the FSF and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), while CAF will be represented by its legal advisers.
The proceedings will be conducted in French, following an agreement between the parties.
The arbitration panel will be chaired by French professor Gérald Simon, alongside Italian professor Luigi Fumagalli and German professor Ulrich Haas.
No Verdict on October 8
Although the hearing marks an important stage in the case, CAS has made clear that no decision will be announced on the day of the hearing.
Once the proceedings conclude, the panel will begin its deliberations before preparing its final award.
CAS has not provided a specific timetable for the decision, stating that it is currently unable to determine when the ruling will be issued.
Another Chapter in the AFCON 2025 Dispute
The October 8 hearing will therefore focus on the arguments presented by the parties and the legal issues surrounding CAF's decision following the final.
Any eventual ruling from CAS could determine whether CAF's decision regarding the result and title remains in place or is changed following the appeal.
For now, the case moves into its next formal stage in Lausanne, with the final outcome to come at a later date.