The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) expects to issue its decision on the disputed Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal toward the end of November 2026, extending the wait for a ruling on the continental title.
In a procedural update published on Monday, October 19, the Lausanne-based court confirmed that its three-member arbitration panel is continuing deliberations after hearing the case behind closed doors on October 8.
The arbitrators have decided to issue a complete ruling that includes the legal grounds supporting their decision, known as a CAS Award.
Preparing that decision will require several weeks, according to the court.
The announcement establishes a new expected timeframe but does not confirm an exact publication date or indicate which federation’s position the panel may support.
Why the decision is taking longer
The October 19 update follows earlier expectations that CAS could reach a decision shortly after the hearing.
Speaking to reporters on October 8, CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb indicated that a ruling might be available within days, although no formal deadline was announced.
The court has now confirmed that it intends to issue a complete decision containing the legal reasoning behind the outcome.
That distinction is important in a dispute involving the application of CAF competition regulations and the authority of match officials.
The panel must decide whether the Confederation of African Football’s decision to overturn the result of the final should stand.
CAS has not disclosed the direction of its deliberations, and the additional time required does not indicate a likely outcome.
How the Morocco–Senegal dispute reached CAS
The case concerns the Africa Cup of Nations final played in Rabat on January 18, 2026.
Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 after extra time, with Pape Gueye scoring the winning goal.
The match had been interrupted late in normal time when several Senegalese players left the field in protest after Morocco were awarded a penalty.
Play eventually resumed. Brahim Díaz failed to convert the penalty, and Senegal went on to secure victory on the pitch.
On March 17, CAF’s Appeals Board overturned the result and awarded Morocco a 3-0 forfeiture victory, citing Senegal’s temporary withdrawal from the field.
The Senegalese Football Federation challenged that ruling, lodging an appeal with CAS on March 25.
The appeal concerns whether CAF’s regulations justified changing the result after the referee allowed the match to resume and reach its conclusion.
As Atlas Lions Insider previously reported on the AFCON final dispute, CAF’s decision left the status of the title contested pending the outcome of Senegal’s appeal.
Morocco remains the beneficiary of CAF’s Appeals Board decision while that challenge is unresolved.
What happens next?
The next significant development is expected to be the publication of the CAS Award.
That decision will determine the outcome of Senegal’s challenge to CAF’s ruling and explain the legal basis for the arbitrators’ conclusions.
CAS has emphasized that only information released through its official communication channels should be regarded as authoritative.
The warning is relevant given the public attention surrounding the dispute and the circulation of unverified claims about its outcome.
For Morocco, the proceedings remain a separate matter from the senior national team’s current preparations.
Under head coach Mohamed Ouahbi, the Atlas Lions are continuing their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign, with two matches against Niger scheduled for November.
Those fixtures will take place before the expected publication of the arbitration decision.
For now, the procedural position is clear: the hearing has concluded, deliberations are continuing, and CAS expects to announce a reasoned decision in late November. The final outcome remains unknown.
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