Senegal Take 2025 AFCON Title Battle to CAS as Appeal Hearing Set for Thursday

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will hear Senegal's appeal on Thursday against the decision to strip them of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title, nearly nine months after the final was played in Rabat, according to BBC Sport. 

The report states that the court has already warned that a ruling will not come on the day of the hearing. The hearing will be held in private and is expected to end on Thursday afternoon. 

CAS said it "cannot state when a final decision will be rendered but it will not be on the day of the hearing". 

Its code says appeal verdicts should come within four months, though the guidelines say panels should aim for under three. It can be faster. In 2020, Manchester City's appeal over their European ban was heard on June 8 and settled in their favour on July 13.

A three-member panel will decide the case, led by 76-year-old Frenchman Gerald Simon, who has been a CAS member for 23 years. If the panel cannot agree, its president makes the final call.

The final itself ended in chaos. With the game goalless, Senegal thought Ismaila Sarr had scored a late winner, but referee Jean Jacques Ndala had already blown for a Moroccan free-kick. In the 98th minute, after a VAR review, he gave Morocco a penalty. Senegal coach Pape Thiaw led some of his players and staff down the tunnel, and fans clashed with security.

Play resumed, and in the 124th minute Brahim Diaz tried a Panenka penalty that went straight into the arms of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. Pape Gueye then scored in extra time to give Senegal a 1-0 win and a second title. Or so they thought.

Morocco's federation complained to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), citing Article 82. It says a team that leaves the ground before the end of the match without the referee's permission is "considered the loser". 

In March, a CAF appeals board agreed and awarded Morocco a 3-0 win. Some, including a former senior CAF official, argued that only the referee can abandon a match. Senegal's federation called the ruling "unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable" and went to CAS.

If the decision is reversed, it would be another blow to CAF's reputation. President Patrice Motsepe has said CAF will "adhere to" and "respect" whatever CAS decides.

The walk-off has already led to a rule change. In April, the game's lawmakers, IFAB, said a referee may show a red card to any player who leaves the field in protest. 

The same applies to team officials who encourage it, and a team that causes a match to be abandoned will, in principle, forfeit.

Both coaches have since lost their jobs. Thiaw left Senegal after their last-32 World Cup exit, and Morocco's Walid Regragui was dismissed in March.

Bad feeling is likely to remain between the two federations. Morocco's bosses were furious that the images from the final damaged the image of their tournament. 

Senegal and their government point to a belief across the continent that Morocco has too much influence in African football. They also complained about laser pens aimed at players and ball boys moving Mendy's towel, which ended with reserve keeper Yehvann Diouf being tackled by three ball boys.

The next Afcon is due in June and July next year.