CAS confirms Senegal have lodged an appeal after being stripped of AFCON title

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has confirmed that Senegal have lodged a formal appeal after being stripped of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title.

The decision to strip the Teranga Lions of the continental holy grail is one of the most polarising developments in the world of football and has sparked strong reactions over the past few weeks.

However, Senegal have refused to throw in the towel in their battle against the shock decision. The legal process is now underway, but a final verdict may take a while.

The controversy started when the Confederation of African Football (CAF) overturned Senegal’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Morocco in the AFCON final.

CAF’s appeal board awarded the 2026 title to the host nation, ruling that Senegal effectively forfeited the match when the players walked off the pitch in protest to a late penalty awarded to Morocco.

That action halted the game for at least 15 minutes, with the Senegalese players unhappy with what they believed was a questionable call in the final moments of the final.

When they eventually returned, Brahim Diaz’s poor panenka was effortlessly saved by Edouard Mendy, sending the showpiece into extra time.

Senegal scored the winning goal to clinch what seemed to be their second AFCON title.

However, CAF ruled that the walk-off was a breach of regulations, resulting in a 3-0 defeat for Senegal. 

The decision came two months after the final, sparking outrage across the continent and abroad.

Senegal have now formally challenged the decision at CAS, with the federation keen to overturn the ruling and be reinstated as the rightful champions.

Matthieu Reeb, CAS director general, said: “CAS is perfectly equipped to resolve this type of dispute, with the assistance of expert and independent arbitrators. 

“We understand that teams and fans are eager to know the final decision, and we will ensure that arbitration proceedings are conducted as swiftly as possible, while respecting the right of all parties to a fair hearing.”