The hearing over the disputed 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy will take place on October 8, 2026, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has confirmed in a statement issued on July 24.

The AFCON 2025 final was played on January 18, 2026, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, between Senegal and hosts Morocco, with Senegal winning 1-0.

The match was marred by several incidents, including disputed refereeing decisions, VAR controversies, Senegal players walking off the pitch in protest, and crowd disturbances. Morocco subsequently appealed the result, and CAF’s Appeals Committee controversially overturned the outcome, awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory and the continental title.

The decision sparked widespread criticism, with many questioning CAF’s credibility and describing the ruling as “a disgrace for Africa.” Senegalese authorities also openly defied the decision by displaying the AFCON trophy in Paris.

“The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirms a hearing has been scheduled for the procedure between the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF, in French) against the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF, in French) ("The Parties") concerning the final of the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 (AFCON 2025). The hearing will take place on 8 October 2026, at CAS headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland,” part of the statement said.

CAS said the case will proceed under its standard procedure after the parties failed to reach an agreement on an expedited hearing. It added that the proceedings would be held behind closed doors.

“After the hearing, the Panel will start its deliberations,” CAS said, adding that it could not provide a timeline for its final decision.

The tribunal also cautioned against misinformation surrounding the case, urging the parties and the public to rely only on official updates issued by CAS.

The dispute stems from the AFCON 2025 final, after CAF ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match and awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory. The CAS ruling will determine whether CAF’s decision stands or whether the outcome will be overturned.

Aftermath of the game

The President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, visited Senegal to meet the president and football authorities over the disputed AFCON title.

Meanwhile, CAF’s statement, which announced the new AFCON title winners, indicated that the reversal was on procedural grounds, with the governing body noting that Morocco’s right to be heard had not been respected during the initial proceedings.

What exactly happened at the AFCON final, detailed chronologically

The final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) was nothing short of controversial, chaotic and tense; however, the side widely alleged to be at the centre of it all was Senegal.

This followed Morocco being awarded a penalty after their player, Ayoub El Kaabi, tumbled in the box following contact with Senegal defender Abdou Diallo. The referee initially waved play on, but later intervened after a VAR review.

Following the check, Morocco were awarded a penalty, which clearly upset Senegal’s players, who believed the contact was minimal and that El Kaabi had gone down too easily.

Consequently, they staged a walk-off in protest on the pitch. During this time, some Senegalese supporters attempted to storm the pitch, with some captured throwing objects onto the field, including a chair.