Senegal’s AFCON final appeal decision expected by November

Dubai: A ruling on Senegal’s appeal against the decision to strip them of this year’s Africa Cup of Nations title is expected at the end of November, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has confirmed.

“This process will require several weeks, with the CAS Award expected at the end of November 2026,” the court said in a statement on Monday.

Senegal are challenging the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to award Morocco the title, despite beating the hosts 1-0 after extra time in January’s final in Rabat. Arguments from Senegal, Morocco and CAF were presented to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne on October 8.

CAS initially indicated that a verdict would follow within days but has since opted to deliver a full ruling, including its legal reasoning, known as a CAS Award.

Senegal left the pitch for 14 minutes after a late penalty was awarded against them during normal time, with several players heading towards the dressing room in protest before eventually returning to continue the match.

Morocco failed to convert the penalty, sending the final into extra time, where Senegal scored the decisive goal to claim victory.

However, two months later, Senegal were stripped of the trophy after CAF’s Appeal Board ruled that their walk-off amounted to a forfeit. The original result was overturned, and Morocco were awarded a 3-0 victory.

Senegal subsequently appealed to CAS, filing their case on March 25, although the hearing did not take place until around six months later. Their argument centres on the referee’s authority to make the final decision, with the official allowing the match to continue to its conclusion.

The CAS panel is led by French sports law specialist Gerald Simon, alongside Italian international law professor Luigi Fumagalli and Ulrich Haas, a Hamburg-based lawyer and law professor at the University of Zurich.

CAS rulings, known as awards, carry the same legal standing as national court judgments. Depending on the circumstances, they can be enforced by sports governing bodies or national courts.