The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has definitively upheld the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) decision to award the hosting rights for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to Senegal. The ruling, issued on March 18, 2026, dismissed an appeal filed by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), which had contested the selection process.
CAF initially stripped Guinea of the hosting rights in 2022 due to infrastructure concerns. Following a new bidding process, CAF's Executive Committee awarded the tournament to Senegal in September 2024. Morocco, which had also bid, appealed the decision to CAS, arguing procedural irregularities.
In its final and binding award, CAS found that CAF's Executive Committee had acted within its discretion and that the FRMF's appeal was unfounded. The tribunal's decision brings an end to the legal dispute and confirms Senegal as the official host for the continental championship.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) welcomed the ruling. FSF President Augustin Senghor had previously expressed confidence in the legal strength of Senegal's bid, stating the nation could not lose the hosting rights on a "technicality." The tournament is scheduled for June and July 2025.
