The protracted wait is over. The Senegalese Football Federation finally obtained the reasoned decision from the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) Appeals Jury just before the weekend, as learned this Monday. This crucial document empowers Senegal to formally launch its appeal before the Tribunal Arbitral du Sport (TAS) to dispute CAF’s ruling, which declared Morocco the winner of the CAN 2025 final by forfeit.

The transmitted document confirms the Appeals Jury’s decision to grant Morocco a 3-0 victory. However, it explicitly states that the jury’s jurisdiction does not extend to determining the distribution of prizes, medals, or the trophy. Curiously, despite this ruling, CAF, through its executive committee, has yet to issue an official statement regarding the definitive winner of the CAN 2025, maintaining an atmosphere of uncertainty around the tournament’s outcome. The President of the Confederation has merely indicated that he awaits the TAS’s final judgment.

TAS decision timeline remains unconfirmed

The resolution of this contentious CAN 2025 final is drawing near, more than two months after the match itself was marred by numerous incidents, both among supporters and on the pitch, culminating in the Senegalese team’s walk-off. While the TAS has not yet provided a precise schedule for its deliberations, its eventual ruling will bring a definitive end to this prolonged saga, with no further avenues for either team to challenge the final verdict.

“The TAS is exceptionally well-equipped to manage such disputes, leveraging the expertise of specialized and impartial arbitrators,” affirmed Me Matthieu Reeb, the Director General of TAS. “We recognize the strong desire of both teams and their fans for a prompt resolution, and we are committed to conducting the arbitration process with the utmost efficiency, while steadfastly upholding the right of all parties to a fair hearing.”