AFCON 2025 Final Dispute: CAS Decision Expected by Late November 2026

Yesterday 15:53

The dispute surrounding the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is set to remain unresolved for several more weeks, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announcing that its decision is expected by the end of November 2026.

In a statement issued from Lausanne, Switzerland, on Monday, October 19, the sports arbitration body confirmed that the panel examining an appeal by the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) is still deliberating. The final ruling will include the legal reasoning behind the arbitrators’ decision.

The case involves the FSF, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF). Its outcome is awaited by the parties involved in the proceedings, as well as observers following the legal dispute surrounding African football’s flagship national-team competition.

Closed-door hearing concluded in October

The arbitration hearing took place on October 8 at CAS headquarters in Switzerland. Proceedings were held behind closed doors, with the panel subsequently moving into deliberations.

According to the court, the arbitrators have opted to issue a fully reasoned award rather than communicate a decision without its accompanying legal justification. Preparing such a ruling requires additional time, pushing the anticipated announcement to the final days of November.

The timetable indicates that the proceedings have entered their final deliberative phase, although CAS has not disclosed any conclusions reached by the panel.

Outcome remains uncertain

The announcement provides no indication of whether the appeal will be upheld or rejected. It establishes only the expected timeframe for the decision and confirms that the arbitrators have yet to conclude their work.

The final award is expected to clarify the tribunal’s position on the issues brought before it by the Senegalese federation in its dispute with CAF and the Moroccan federation. Until the ruling is published, the legal outcome remains open.

For the parties, the coming weeks will therefore be a period of waiting as they prepare for a decision that will formally address the appeal.

CAS points to official channels for updates

The Lausanne-based institution has also stressed that information concerning the case should be taken from its official communications. Any further announcements will be made available through its website.

With the ruling provisionally scheduled for late November 2026, the dispute over the AFCON 2025 final remains before the sports arbitration system. The publication of the reasoned award will provide the next formal development in a case that continues to draw attention across African football.