A fresh storm is brewing over the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 final after Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirmed it has received an appeal from the Senegalese Football Federation challenging a controversial decision that handed the title to Royal Moroccan Football Federation.

In a media release issued from Lausanne on March 25, CAS revealed that Senegal is contesting a ruling by the Confederation of African Football which declared that the Senegal national team had forfeited the AFCON 2025 final. The decision, made on March 17, effectively awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory and crowned them champions of the continental showpiece set to be staged in Morocco.

The Senegalese federation is now seeking to overturn that verdict, arguing that the decision should be nullified and that they, not Morocco, be declared winners of the tournament. In a bold legal push, the federation has also requested an immediate suspension of the deadline required to submit its full appeal, pending the release of detailed grounds behind CAF’s ruling.

The appeal marks a dramatic escalation in what is shaping up to be one of the most contentious disputes in African football history; casting a shadow over what should have been a celebratory climax to AFCON 2025.

CAS has confirmed that an arbitral panel will be constituted to hear the case. Once in place, both parties will follow a structured legal timeline: Senegal will have 20 days to file its detailed arguments, while CAF and Morocco will each be granted an additional 20 days to respond.

However, with Senegal requesting a suspension of procedural timelines, uncertainty looms over how quickly the case will move forward. CAS acknowledged that, at this early stage, it is not possible to determine when a hearing will take place.

The dispute has left fans across the continent in suspense, with questions swirling about the legitimacy of the AFCON 2025 outcome. A final decided not on the pitch but in boardrooms—and now courtrooms—has sparked intense debate among football lovers.

CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb sought to reassure stakeholders, stating that the institution is equipped to handle such high-stakes disputes with independence and expertise.

“CAS is perfectly equipped to resolve this type of dispute,” he said, adding that proceedings will be handled “as swiftly as possible” while ensuring fairness to all parties involved.

For now, much of the process will remain behind closed doors. CAS emphasized that proceedings are confidential, and further updates will only be shared if and when a hearing is formally scheduled.

As it stands, Morocco remain the official AFCON 2025 champions—but that status now hangs in the balance. Should CAS rule in Senegal’s favour, African football could witness an unprecedented reversal of a major tournament result.

Until then, the battle for Africa’s biggest football crown has shifted from the stadium to the courtroom—where the final whistle is yet to be blown.