Morocco-Senegal AFCON Trophy Dispute Reaches International Sports Court

Senegal won the Africa Cup of Nations final 1-0 on the pitch, but the team ultimately lost the title after a controversial disciplinary ruling by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Now, the long-running trophy dispute between Senegal and Morocco has reached the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

A hearing on Senegal’s appeal was held on Thursday, October 8, in Lausanne, Switzerland. The closed-door hearing was conducted by a three-member panel, which heard arguments from the legal representatives of both sides.

CAS is expected to issue its final decision within the next few days.

The penalty that sparked the controversy

The AFCON final was played on January 18 in Rabat, Morocco. Late in regulation time, Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded a penalty to the hosts.

Senegal’s players were furious with the decision and left the pitch. When play resumed, Morocco’s Brahim Diaz stepped up to take the penalty. The Real Madrid forward attempted a slow chip against Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, but Mendy stayed in position and comfortably saved the effort.

The match then went into extra time. In the fourth minute of extra time, Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye fired home to give his team a 1-0 lead.

Senegal appeared to have secured the championship on the field.

But the result did not remain official.

CAF overturns the result

Following the final, CAF’s disciplinary panel imposed more than $1 million in fines on players from both teams, Senegal coach Pape Thiaw and the football federations involved.

An initial request to overturn the final result and award the title to Morocco was rejected. The matter was later taken to the CAF Appeals Board.

In March, the appeals board ruled that Senegal’s decision to leave the pitch violated the competition regulations. The official result was subsequently changed from 1-0 to a 3-0 victory for Morocco, handing the title to the hosts.

CAF regulations state that a team can be considered to have lost if it leaves the field before the end of a match without the referee’s permission or refuses to continue playing.

Senegal has rejected the ruling and taken the case to CAS.

Senegal fights to reclaim the trophy

After the title was taken away, the Senegalese government announced that it would support the football federation in pursuing all appropriate legal avenues to recover the trophy.

The incident has also raised questions about the neutrality of African football administration. Debate has particularly focused on Morocco’s alleged influence within CAF and FIFA. However, those allegations have not been established as proven facts.

Meanwhile, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI pardoned 18 Senegalese supporters who had been imprisoned following clashes surrounding the final.

CAS decision now awaited

The Senegal Football Federation appealed the CAF ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. During Thursday’s hearing in Lausanne, the three-member panel heard arguments from both sides.

CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb said after the hearing that the court intends to reach a decision quickly. However, he indicated that a ruling would not necessarily come immediately after the hearing or the following day, with a final decision expected within a few days.

If Senegal’s appeal is successful, the CAF decision on the final result and championship could be reconsidered. If Morocco prevails, its status as the official champion will remain intact.

The next AFCON is scheduled to begin in June 2027, jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Before then, the CAS ruling could bring an end to one of the most controversial trophy disputes in recent African football.

The 90 minutes and extra time of the final are long over. But the Senegal-Morocco title battle is still alive—this time, the decisive contest is taking place not on the football pitch, but in an international sports courtroom.