The Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) are facing a new legal challenge at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The case, filed by a disqualified bidder for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), contests the award of hosting rights to Morocco. This adds to the existing legal pressures on CAF, which is already involved in a separate, high-profile CAS dispute concerning the 2023 AFCON final.
According to official CAS records, the case (CAS 2026/A/10128) was registered in March 2026. The claimant is challenging the CAF Executive Committee's decision from September 2025, which awarded the 2025 tournament to Morocco after Guinea was stripped of hosting rights. The identity of the claimant and the specific grounds for the appeal have not been publicly detailed in the initial filings.
This new arbitration proceeding emerges alongside the ongoing case (CAS 2024/A/10427) related to the 2023 AFCON final. That dispute, involving the Ivorian Football Federation and a refereeing controversy from the match between Ivory Coast and Nigeria, remains pending. The accumulation of cases highlights continued legal scrutiny over CAF's administrative and competitive decisions.
The outcome of the new case could potentially impact the planning and organization of the 2025 AFCON, though CAF and the FRMF have proceeded with preparations under the assumption the award will stand. A hearing date has not yet been set by the Swiss-based court.
