On October 8, 2026, CAS opened hearings into the incidents that marred the 2025 AFCON final between Morocco and Senegal. The Senegalese team had left the pitch during the match, forcing the game to be suspended. The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) appealed to CAS against the AFCON Appeal Board’s decision to award Morocco a 3-0 victory by forfeit.
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The case remains under deliberation following a lengthy hearing in Lausanne, Switzerland, where the three parties, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), the FSF and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), presented their arguments before the arbitration panel, composed of two arbitrators and a presiding arbitrator. A final decision is still pending.
In the meantime, Sport sought the opinion of Bizzini, a lawyer with previous experience pleading before CAS, on the legal arguments and which side is better placed to win the case.
Bizzini said Senegal’s chances of success were “quite low.” His analysis centers on Articles 82 to 84 of the competition regulations, which state that if a team, for any reason, refuses to play or leaves the field before the end of a match without the referee’s authorization, it is deemed to have forfeited the game and is automatically eliminated from the competition. Under these provisions, the team “loses 3-0,” as the Spanish newspaper reported his remarks.
These same provisions formed the basis of the AFCON Appeal Board’s decision to award the title to Morocco. Bizzini stressed that CAS has the final say on legal questions and considers Senegal’s appeal unlikely to succeed.
The lawyer also addressed a possible argument from Senegal over whether the team had officially abandoned the match, given that three of its players remained on the pitch. However, IFAB Law 3.1 stipulates that a team must have at least seven players on the field to continue playing.
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Bizzini also ruled out the possibility of replaying the final, saying that such an option is not provided for under CAF regulations. If the ruling goes in Morocco’s favor, Senegal would also have to return the prizes, trophy and medals.
Throughout his analysis, the lawyer insisted that “CAS is there to apply the regulations” and reiterated that “Senegal’s appeal has little chance of success.”
