Senegal appeal to CAS after CAF strips AFCON title and awards Morocco default win

Senegal’s football federation has lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) seeking to overturn a Confederation of African Football (CAF) ruling that stripped Senegal of the Africa Cup of Nations title.  CAS confirmed it has registered the appeal and will appoint an arbitral panel before setting a procedural timetable, putting the dispute into the sport’s highest legal forum.The case centres on the AFCON final against hosts Morocco in Rabat on January 18, which Senegal won 1-0 after extra time on the pitch but later lost in the disciplinary process.  CAF’s appeal body ruled Senegal forfeited the final after the team left the pitch in protest following a contentious stoppage-time penalty awarded to Morocco.Senegal returned after about 10 to 15 minutes and the match resumed, with Morocco missing the penalty before Senegal eventually won in extra time.  CAF subsequently overturned the result, declaring a 3-0 win for Morocco and naming them champions, an unprecedented intervention that has sparked allegations of bias and corruption in Senegal and intensified scrutiny of CAF’s governance.In its filing, Senegal’s federation is asking CAS to set aside CAF’s decision and reinstate Senegal as champions, according to reports of the appeal terms.  Senegal are also seeking procedural clarity, including access to the full written grounds behind CAF’s ruling, and a pause on certain deadlines until those reasons are provided.The dispute has broadened beyond sport in recent days, with Senegalese officials calling for investigations into the decision-making process and with public reaction spilling into wider Senegal–Morocco relations.  The case lands as CAF and its commercial partners continue to deepen reliance on betting, data and global sponsorship categories that depend on confidence in competition integrity.It also comes as federations and tournament organisers face growing pressure to demonstrate transparent disciplinary processes, given the reputational and financial damage that follows high-profile integrity controversies.  CAS has not set a hearing date or an expected timeline for a ruling.