The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has confirmed that its final ruling regarding Senegal’s challenge to the Africa Cup of Nations title will be delivered by the end of November 2026. In a statement issued on Monday, the court indicated that the legal process, which involves producing a comprehensive CAS Award including all legal grounds, will take several more weeks to conclude.
Senegal is currently fighting the decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to crown Morocco as champions.
This dispute stems from the final match held in Rabat this past January, where Senegal initially secured a 1-0 win after extra time. The controversy ignited when Senegal players walked off the pitch for 14 minutes in protest after a late penalty was awarded against them during regulation time. Though play eventually resumed and Morocco missed the spot kick, CAF’s Appeal Board ruled two months later that Senegal had forfeited the match by leaving the field. This ruling overturned the original result and retroactively awarded a 3-0 victory to Morocco. The basis of their arguments is that the referee’s decision is final and he allowed the match to be completed.
Seeking to regain the title, Senegal filed an appeal with CAS on March 25. The case was heard in Lausanne on October 8, where a panel chaired by sports law expert Gerald Simon and assisted by professors Luigi Fumagalli and Ulrich Haas reviewed arguments from all involved parties. CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb acknowledged the lengthy delay for fans, noting that while facts are established, the court must resolve complex procedural and legal questions. Senegal quickly followed with an appeal to CAS, which was lodged on March 25 but heard some six months later. “The facts are set, are clear and the discussions will be on some procedural issues and legal aspects,” he added. With the assistance of Italian international law professor Luigi Fumagalli and Hamburg-based lawyer and professor of law at the University of Zurich, Ulrich Haas, the CAS panel is presided over by French sports law expert Gerald Simon.
Although CAS had initially expected to issue a decision shortly after the October hearing, the court opted for a full formal award to ensure thoroughness. Once delivered, this CAS Award will carry the weight of a national court judgment, enforceable by sports governing bodies or state legal systems depending on the specific legal context. CAS decisions are called awards and hold the same value as a national court judgement.
