Quick Reads:

• CAS hearing date: October 8, in Lausanne, behind closed doors
• No verdict timeline set, CAS rulings can take months
• Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 after extra time in the January final
• CAF stripped the title, ruling Senegal defaulted by leaving the pitch
• Both nations have since competed at the World Cup

Senegal’s fight to reclaim its Africa Cup of Nations title is finally heading to court. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has confirmed that Senegal’s AFCON appeal will be heard on October 8 at its Lausanne headquarters, months after one of the most controversial finishes in the tournament’s history.

The hearing will take place behind closed doors, and CAS has not set a target date for its verdict, a process that typically stretches several months once arguments are heard.

The dispute traces back to January’s extraordinary AFCON final in Rabat, where Senegal edged host nation Morocco 1-0 after extra time. But the result was thrown into chaos when Morocco was awarded a stoppage-time penalty. Senegal’s players walked off the pitch in protest, delaying play for roughly 15 minutes, before the penalty was ultimately saved.

Weeks later, CAF’s appeal judges ruled that Senegal had effectively forfeited the match by leaving the field, stripping them of the trophy and handing the title to Morocco instead, a decision widely criticised for appearing to override the basic principle that the referee’s on-field call is final.

Preparations for the AFCON appeal continued quietly through the recent World Cup, where Morocco advanced to the quarterfinals while Senegal exited in the round of 32 against Belgium.

Now, with a hearing date locked in, football fans across Africa will be watching closely to see whether Senegal can overturn one of the sport’s most disputed rulings.