African football has been thrown into uncertainty after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) provisionally suspended a ruling that stripped Senegal of their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title and awarded it to Morocco.
Newsonspot reports that in an interim decision, CAS upheld Senegal’s appeal against the verdict of the Confederation of African Football Appeals Board, ordering a temporary freeze on the implementation of its decision. This development places the 2025 AFCON title in legal limbo pending a full hearing.
The controversy dates back to the dramatic final in January 2026, where Senegal’s Teranga Lions secured a 1–0 victory over Morocco’s Atlas Lions after extra time. Tensions flared late in the match when a disputed penalty was awarded to Morocco. Although the penalty was missed, Senegal’s players briefly walked off the pitch in protest before returning to complete the match.
Weeks later, Morocco’s football authorities challenged the outcome, citing AFCON regulations on match forfeiture. On March 17, CAF’s Appeals Board ruled in Morocco’s favour, declaring Senegal’s walk-off a serious breach and overturning the result to a 3–0 win for Morocco.
Senegal rejected the decision, describing it as unjust and disproportionate, and escalated the matter to CAS. The tribunal has now granted provisional measures, indicating that enforcing CAF’s ruling before a full hearing could cause irreparable damage, particularly in a case involving the withdrawal of a major continental title.
As a result, AFCON 2025 currently has no officially recognised winner, with the trophy effectively unassigned until the legal process is concluded.
A final decision from CAS is expected in the coming months after a comprehensive review of submissions from all parties. While Senegal seeks reinstatement of their original victory, Morocco maintains that the walk-off warranted forfeiture under tournament rules.
The Confederation of African Football has stated it will comply with the tribunal’s final ruling. Until then, one of the most dramatic disputes in African football history remains unresolved.
