Senegal Lodges AFCON Appeal at Top Sporting Tribunal Following Controversial Defeat
Senegal has formally lodged an appeal with the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to award Morocco the 2025 AFCON title. The move comes after a contentious final in January, during which Senegalese players briefly walked off the pitch in protest of a penalty awarded to Morocco.
Despite returning to the match and scoring in extra time, CAF’s Appeal Board ruled Morocco the winner based on tournament regulations stating that any team refusing to play or leaving the pitch before the end of regular time would forfeit the game.
Abdoulaye Fall, president of Senegal’s Football Association, called the ruling a “grossly unfair administrative robbery” and vowed to fight to defend the team’s honour. Senegal has assembled an international legal team from Switzerland, Spain, France, and Senegal to argue its case before CAS.
While under soccer laws the referee’s on-field decisions are typically final, Senegal’s appeal may take months to be heard, with the outcome of the case expected to be announced only after an extended process.
