A new twist in the saga of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations . On Tuesday, March 24, 2026, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) officially filed a case with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) . The issue at stake? Challenging the controversial decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which, two months after the final, stripped the trophy from the Lions of Teranga and awarded it to Morocco by default.

A title won on the pitch, withdrawn in the offices

As a reminder, Senegal had won on the field thanks to a goal from Pape Gueye . However, a subsequent administrative ruling by CAF overturned this result, causing total incomprehension internationally.

The FSF is counter-attacking today with a very specific strategy:

1. Sharp legal expertise: Senegal has hired a renowned lawyer, famous for having already made the CAF back down in cases involving... Morocco.
2. A methodical approach: Moussa Mbaye (FSF Executive Committee) affirms that the case will be defended with "coldness and lucidity".

The shocking argument: The "fragmented presence"

Senegal's appeal hinges on a crucial technical point related to Law 3 of the IFAB . The CAF appears to have sanctioned Senegal for a lack of players on the field in the 102nd minute. However, the Senegalese defense puts forward two main arguments:

1. The digital reality: The squad has never fallen below the critical threshold of seven players required to continue a match.
2. Player location: While some players were in the technical area, others were still on the pitch, thus invalidating the reason for the definitive interruption of the match.

Did you know? The CAF has, until now, never provided a detailed explanation on the exact reasons for this title withdrawal, leaving a legal ambiguity that Senegal's lawyers intend to exploit.

And now ?

The Federation is calling on supporters to remain calm and patient, stating that only legal action is now being pursued. The football world is now waiting to see if the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will indeed freeze the standings pending its final verdict.