Senegal has officially taken its dispute over the Africa Cup of Nations title to sport’s highest legal body, but there is no clear timeline for when a decision will be reached.

Based in Geneva, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirmed on Wednesday that it has registered Senegal’s appeal challenging a controversial ruling by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Last week, CAF stripped Senegal of the title it won in January and reassigned it to host nation Morocco following a chaotic final.

The Senegalese football federation is seeking to overturn that decision and has also requested additional time to submit a full appeal brief, noting that CAF has yet to provide detailed written reasons for its verdict. CAS said that given the early stage of proceedings and the request to pause deadlines, it cannot yet outline a procedural schedule or indicate when a hearing might take place.

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The dispute stems from the dramatic final in Rabat, where Senegal players temporarily walked off the pitch during a 15-minute stoppage after Morocco was awarded a late penalty that could have decided the match. Play eventually resumed, the penalty was saved, and the game went into extra time, where Senegal scored the only goal to secure a 1–0 victory.

Despite the result on the field, CAF’s appeals panel ruled two months later that Senegal should forfeit the title. The judges cited tournament regulations stating that any team refusing to continue a match ‘shall be eliminated for good from the current competition’.

The decision has sparked controversy, especially given that, under the laws of the game, a referee’s decisions during play are considered final. Critics have also pointed to Morocco’s growing influence in football governance, particularly as the country prepares to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe rejected any suggestion of bias, stating that no nation on the continent would receive preferential treatment.
CAS proceedings are typically lengthy, often requiring months to arrange hearings and additional time before a final ruling is issued. Director General Matthieu Reeb acknowledged the urgency felt by fans and teams, but emphasised that the arbitration process must ensure fairness for all parties while moving as efficiently as possible.