Di final of di 2025 Africa Cup of Nations between Morocco and Senegal still dey unresolved nearly nine months later. Everybody know football match suppose take 90 minutes, but di winner of dis final go come from courtroom, not pitch. On Thursday, di Court of Arbitration for Sport, CAS, go hear Senegal appeal against di decision to strip dem of di title.
Back in January, Morocco host di final for di first time since 1988. Inside Rabat Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, 66,000 home fans create electric atmosphere. Morocco chase dia first Afcon title since 1976. Di match still goalless deep into stoppage time. Senegal think Ismaila Sarr don score dramatic winner, only to discover say referee Jean Jacques Ndala already blow for Moroccan free-kick. Di controversy deepen for 98th minute when, after VAR review, Ndala award Morocco penalty. Tempers boil over on touchline and inside stands. Senegal coach Pape Thiaw lead some of im players and staff down tunnel, while supporters clash with security as order briefly collapse.
Play eventually resume. For 124th minute, Morocco miss golden chance to end dia 50-year wait for continental glory when Real Madrid Brahim Diaz fail to convert penalty, chip am Panenka style into grateful arms of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. Pape Gueye extra-time strike then secure 1-0 win for Senegal, who lift trophy for second time. Or so dem think.
Royal Moroccan Football Federation quickly lodge complaint with Confederation of African Football, CAF, arguing say Senegal breach competition regulations. Article 82, inside chapter titled Withdrawals, state say if, for any reason, a team leave ground before regular end of match without referee authorisation, dem shall be considered loser and eliminated from current competition. In March, CAF appeals board agree, rule say Senegal forfeit match and award Morocco 3-0 victory. FMRF say dem dey seek proper application of tournament regulations. Senegal federation describe di ruling as unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable, and appeal to CAS.
Dem set up CAS in 1984 and based am for Lausanne, Switzerland. Dem set am up as independent legal body to settle disputes as global sport become more lucrative and more litigious. For governing bodies wey recognise CAS authority, e be supreme arbiter, meaning ruling final unless, for rare cases, Switzerland highest court decide to set am aside based on limited technicalities. More than 900 cases dey filed every year from more than 50 different sports, covering employment contracts, transfers, doping, corruption, TV rights and organisation of sporting events. Di appeal go be heard by panel of three arbitrators chosen by CAS for dia expertise in sports law. For dis case, panel go be led by 76-year-old Frenchman Gerald Simon, founder of Sports Law Laboratory for University of Burgundy and CAS member for 23 years. If panel fail to come to consensus, im president go make final decision. Hearing dey private at request of parties, and e expected to end Thursday afternoon. CAS don warn say final decision no go come on day of hearing. CAS code state say appeal verdicts suppose dey delivered maximum four months after hearing, though guidelines also say panels suppose aim for less than three months. In 2020, Manchester City appeal to CAS over UEFA decision to ban dem from European club competitions for breaching financial fair play regulations. Hearing take place on 8 June with verdict landing in City favour on 13 July.
Even though CAF appeals board independent, reversal of im judgement go deliver another blow to reputation of African football governing body, which dem don already criticise heavily for retrospective decision to hand Morocco title. CAF president Patrice Motsepe talk in March say dem go adhere to and respect whatever CAS decide. So if things go Senegal favour, e fit mean say somebody go tinker with Afcon rulebook. Teranga Lions walk-off don already bring change in football rules. IFAB, game lawmaking body, talk in April say referee fit sanction with red card any player who leave field of play in protest at referee decision. New rule go also apply to any team official who incite players to leave field of play. Team wey cause match to be abandoned go, in principle, forfeit match.
Thiaw don already get marching orders from Senegal, having lose im job after team last-32 World Cup exit. Walid Regragui, man in Moroccan dugout back in January, also dismissed in March. Both men no doubt still go view success with CAS as moral victory. Whatever outcome, animosity likely linger between di two federations. FMRF senior hierarchy furious with Senegal behaviour, believe say pictures wey beam around world irrevocably tarnish image of first Afcon hosted by kingdom since 1988, tournament into which huge amount of time and money invest. FSF and Senegalese government, meanwhile, lean into feeling prevalent across continent say Morocco hold too much influence inside African football. Other incidents also irk dem, like laser pens directed into players eyes and ball boys moving goalkeeper Mendy towel, something wey eventually lead to barely believable sight of reserve keeper Yehvann Diouf being tackled to ground by three ball boys when he try intervene.
Qualification for Afcon 2027 don start. Senegal draw opening game of Patrick Vieira tenure as coach with Mozambique on September 25, before win 1-0 in Ethiopia on September 29. Morocco win both opening games, beat Gabon and Lesotho.
Senegal representative at CAS hearing, Abdoulaye Sow, general secretary of Senegalese Football Federation, strike confident note after Thursday session. One of Senegal representatives, Sow explain say defence lay out full submissions and insist dia country argue dia case well. Speaking to media outside CAS headquarters, Sow say dia lawyers present dia case, lay out all observations, and arbitration panel listen to dem. He add say CAS must issue decision over coming days or weeks. Confidentiality stop Senegalese official from going further on wetin happen inside room. He say he cannot say wetin actually happen because e subject to confidentiality of deliberations, but he confirm say Senegal defend dia position well. Morocco representatives, by contrast, talk nothing after session end. All parties involved, Morocco, Senegal and CAF, bound to keep details of pleadings private until CAS rule on dispute over di 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final. Panel of three arbitrators expected to deliver verdict over coming days or weeks. That decision go settle Senegal appeal against CAF ruling on di final. Senegal had beat Morocco 1-0 in di final last January. CAF then award title to Morocco, citing withdrawal of Lions of Teranga players in protest at Congolese referee Jean Jacques Ndala decision to give Atlas Lions penalty.
