Seven months. That is how long it has taken for the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to finally look into the most explosive case in African football. Morocco currently hold the AFCON 2025 title. Except they did not win it on the pitch, and Senegal fully intend to take it back.
The appeal lodged by the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) against CAF and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) will be heard this Thursday, 8 October, behind closed doors, as none of the parties asked for a public hearing. On 17 March, two months after the final, CAF’s appeal board sided with the FRMF, which argued that the Senegal players’ temporary walk-off amounted to a forfeit. In other words, the hosts and beaten finalists were crowned in the boardroom.
An unprecedented decision
In a chaotic final marred by violence between supporters, the Lions of Teranga left the pitch in protest at a penalty won by Brahim Diaz, just after a Senegal goal was disallowed. They came back and went on to win in extra time. Never before had a confederation withdrawn a continental title won on the pitch, and CAF’s board had even rejected Morocco’s complaint at first instance. The suspense will go on: CAS warns that its decision « will not be announced on the day of the hearing ».