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Africa awaits the sports court’s ruling in the most controversial case in history
The dispute between Morocco and Senegal over who really won the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will drag on longer than expected, with press reports revealing a new date for the awaited hearing before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Specialist Spanish network IUSPORT report, citingSenegalese and Moroccan federations will be held in September or October at the court’s headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland
That timeline rules out any final decision before October at the earliest. The controversy over the 2025 title will run for several more weeks, with tension between the two sides showing no sign of easing.
Reports earlier this July claimed the court had ruled in Senegal’s favour, but CAS denied issuing any official decisions.
The 2025 Africa title hangs in the balance awaiting the CAS decision
African fans now wait on the sports court, which will decide whether to uphold or overturn the Confederation of African Football (CAF) ruling of 17 March.
CAF’s appeals committee had reversed the first-instance decision. They stripped the title from Senegal and awarded it administratively to Morocco, on the back of the events that unfolded in the final.
Senegal’s players had temporarily walked off the pitch during extra time, protesting a penalty awarded to Morocco. The penalty was taken and missed, and Senegal then went on to score through Bab Gaye.
Yet despite Morocco failing to convert that penalty, CAF ruled the Moroccans winners 3-0 by administrative decision, citing the violation committed by Senegal according to the appeals committee’s ruling.
The Senegalese Football Federation flatly rejected the decision, branding it “unfair” and calling it “administrative theft”, before officially lodging an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport to reclaim the title.
Everything now hinges on the CAS hearing. Two outcomes remain: confirm CAF’s decision and keep Morocco as champions of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, or cancel the punishment, restore the result on the pitch and hand the title to Senegal.
