The wait has been extensive. After twenty-one days of anticipation, the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football finally obtained the reasoned verdict from the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) appeals jury just before the weekend. This specific documentation is a prerequisite for initiating an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS/TAS), as Sénégal seeks to overturn the decision that granted Maroc a walkover victory for the CAN 2025 title.

Within the shared document, the appeals jury maintains its stance of awarding a 3-0 win to Maroc. However, it stopped short of issuing directives regarding financial prizes, medals, or the actual trophy, clarifying that such matters do not fall under the jury’s jurisdiction. Interestingly, since this ruling, the CAF executive committee has refrained from making an official announcement regarding the tournament winner, leaving the final outcome of this edition shrouded in ambiguity. The head of the Confédération has simply indicated that the matter is now in the hands of the CAS.

No definitive timeline for the CAS ruling

The legal drama surrounding the CAN 2025 final is reaching its climax, more than two months after a match defined by crowd trouble and the Sénégal team’s decision to walk off the pitch. While the CAS has not yet established a formal schedule for the proceedings, their eventual verdict will represent the final word on the matter, as no further legal avenues remain for either nation.

“The CAS is fully equipped to settle these types of disagreements, utilizing the expertise of independent and specialized arbitrators,” noted Me Matthieu Reeb, Director General of the CAS. “We recognize that both the teams and their supporters are eager for a final resolution, and we will ensure the arbitration process moves forward as swiftly as possible while guaranteeing a fair trial for all involved parties.”