The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the Lausanne-based body that settles international sporting disputes, has held a long-awaited hearing on who rightfully won this year's Africa Cup of Nations. Senegal is appealing a decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to award the title to Morocco. A three-judge panel is expected to issue its verdict within days.

The dispute stems from the final, played at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on January 18, 2026. Senegal won the match 1–0 after extra time. CAF later overturned the result, however, because Senegal's players had left the pitch in protest during the game before returning. The governing body awarded Morocco a 3–0 victory, stripping Senegal of the trophy.

The walk-off followed a late penalty decision in Morocco's favour. Players left the field to protest it, but the referee, Jean-Jacques Ndala, restarted the match once they came back. Morocco's Brahim Díaz then missed the penalty with a Panenka, a soft, chipped effort down the middle of the goal. Minutes later, Pape Gueye scored the winning goal for Senegal.

The referee's role is now seen as potentially crucial. His decision to allow play to resume enabled Senegal to complete the match and score the winner, a point that bears on whether the on-pitch result should stand. Senegal's appeal rests on the argument that the game was legitimately finished under the referee's authority, while CAF's ruling treated the temporary abandonment as grounds for forfeiture.

The case matters well beyond the two countries. Nearly ten months after the final, Africa's biggest national-team tournament still has no uncontested champion. The outcome will also test how far governing bodies can overturn a result decided on the pitch because of players' conduct during a match. Whichever way the panel rules, its decision is expected to settle the question of who is Africa's football champion.