Senegal are not accepting CAF's verdict quietly. The Senegalese Football Federation filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Wednesday, pushing back against the decision that stripped them of the African Cup of Nations title and handed a 3-0 win to Morocco instead.
The dispute traces back to January 18 in Rabat, where Senegal walked off the pitch in protest over a penalty awarded to Morocco during what became the decisive moment of the match. They came back after 14 minutes and eventually won 1-0 on the day. CAF's appeal board wasn't interested in that result. Last week, they wiped it out entirely and gave Morocco the win — and with it, the title.
What Senegal are actually asking CAS to do
The FSF's appeal has two specific targets: overturn the CAF ruling and have Senegal formally declared AFCON champions. They've also requested a suspension of the deadline to file a full appeal brief until they receive CAF's decision with complete written grounds — a procedural step that buys them time to build the full case.
CAS confirmed an arbitral panel will be appointed, with a procedural calendar to follow. That means this isn't resolved anytime soon.
The Senegalese government has already called for an inquiry into how the title was removed. The FSF's lawyers are set to address the media in Paris on Thursday, which suggests they're preparing to fight this publicly as much as legally.
What's actually at stake
Strip away the legal language and this is a fight over who holds the most prestigious title in African football. Senegal believe they won that match — they were on the pitch, they scored the goal, they celebrated. Morocco never lifted a trophy after January 18. Now, through an appeals board decision, they technically have one.
Whether CAS agrees is a different matter entirely. But until it rules, the legitimacy of this AFCON title hangs in genuine dispute — which is a strange place for any continental champion to be sitting.
