The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final may have kicked off on January 18th in Rabat, but the final whistle has yet to blow. In what is being described as the most explosive legal battle in African football history, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) officially filed an appeal yesterday, March 25, 2026, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.
Senegal is fighting to overturn the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) bombshell decision to strip them of their title and hand the trophy to hosts Morocco “on the green carpet.”
The “14 Minutes of Chaos”
The controversy traces back to the final in Rabat. With the game locked at 0-0 in the dying minutes of normal time, the referee awarded a highly disputed penalty to Morocco. In an unprecedented move, several Senegalese players walked off the pitch in protest.
After a 14-minute delay and frantic mediation—including a notable intervention by Sadio Mané to coax his teammates back—play resumed. The penalty was missed, and Senegal went on to win 1-0 in extra time thanks to a Pape Gueye strike. They lifted the trophy, paraded it through Dakar, and received their winners’ medals.
The CAF Hammer Falls
Two months later, everything changed. On March 17, 2026, CAF’s Appeals Committee upheld a protest by the Moroccan Federation (FRMF). They ruled that by leaving the pitch, Senegal had breached Articles 82 and 84 of the tournament regulations regarding “misconduct and forfeiture.”
The 1-0 on-field victory was wiped out and replaced with a 3-0 forfeit win for Morocco.
The Appeal: “The Cup Will Not Leave Senegal”
The FSF has pulled out the big guns for their defense, assembling a “legal dream team” led by renowned Swiss lawyer Serge Vittoz—the man who successfully helped Senegal win a replay against South Africa in 2017.
• The Argument: Senegal contends that because the referee allowed the match to resume and validated the final result on the pitch, the “walk-off” was effectively authorized or at least “cured” by the completion of the game.
• The Stand: FSF Secretary General Abdoulaye Sow has been defiant, telling local media, “The cup will not leave the country.”
• The Delay: Senegal has also requested a stay of execution on the deadline to file their full brief, arguing they haven’t yet received the “full reasoned decision” from CAF.
What Happens Next?
CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb confirmed that an arbitral panel is being formed. Under standard rules, Senegal has 20 days to file their full legal arguments, followed by 20 days for CAF and Morocco to respond.
While Senegal wants an expedited ruling before the 2026 World Cup kicks off in June, CAS has warned that it cannot yet specify a hearing date. For now, on the official records of CAF, Morocco remains the 2025 Champion.
