CAS confirms Senegal’s appeal against naming Morocco AFCON 2025 winners

Teranga Lions of Senegal

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has confirmed that the Senegalese Football Federation has appealed the decision to name Morocco winners of the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The appeal from Senegal aims to overturn the controversial decision to strip them of their AFCON title, asking to restore the Teranga Lions as the original winners.

“Appeal registered by CAS on 25 March 2026 “to set aside the CAF decision and declares the FSF winners of AFCON,” the statement read.

The Senegalese government had earlier called for an “independent international investigation” into “suspected corruption” at CAF after it stripped Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and awarded it to Morocco.

Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in January’s final but the Confederation of African Football (Caf) overturned the result on Tuesday because Senegal’s players walked off the pitch in protest when hosts Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty.

The players returned after a 17-minute delay, and Brahim Diaz’s ‘Panenka’ penalty for Morocco was saved before Senegal’s Pape Gueye scored an extra-time winner.

Following an appeal by the Moroccan FA (FRMF), Caf ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match, with the “result being recorded as 3-0 in favour” of Morocco.

In a statement, the Senegalese government said the “unprecedented and exceptionally serious decision” was based on “a manifestly erroneous interpretation of the regulations, leading to a grossly illegal and deeply unjust decision”.

It said: “Senegal unequivocally rejects this unjustified attempt at dispossession.”

Also last week, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) said it would appeal against Caf’s decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas), calling it “an unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable decision which brings discredit to African football”.

”This decision is a breach of trust that is not based on any rule of law,” FSF secretary general Abdoulaye Seydou Sow told Senegalese TV channel RTS 1.

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