Kinshasa, Oct. 19, 2026 – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has announced that it expects to deliver a verdict by late November 2026 regarding the dispute between Morocco and Senegal over the final of the 35th Africa Cup of Nations (CAN), hosted by Morocco in 2025. The update came through a statement from the CAS, which indicated that an arbitral panel has commenced its deliberations.
The case arises from an appeal filed by the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) against the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF). A hearing on the matter took place on October 8, 2026, at the CAS headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, and was closed to the public.
According to the CAS statement, the arbitrators are reviewing the arguments presented during the hearing, and the anticipated decision will include detailed legal reasoning. The comprehensive ‘CAS award’ will clarify the basis for the arbitrators’ conclusion following the deliberation phase, which is expected to take several weeks.
The CAS serves as an independent court responsible for resolving sports-related disputes and hears appeals against rulings made by various sports governing bodies. The case’s outcome will be published on the CAS website, and officials emphasized that only information from their official channels should be considered authoritative regarding these proceedings.
While waiting for the ruling, all parties involved have been encouraged to remain patient as they await clarity on this significant sporting dispute. The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final has been notably marked by controversy, with Senegal walking off the pitch and later scoring its only goal. Meanwhile, Morocco had missed a penalty earlier in the match, contributing to the heightened tension surrounding the event.
