The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) challenging the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) decision to award Morocco the hosting rights for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The appeal was lodged in late March 2026, following CAF's Executive Committee announcement on March 17, 2026, which confirmed Morocco as the host nation.
CAF's decision came after the original host, Guinea, was stripped of the tournament in 2022 due to infrastructure concerns. Morocco, which had previously been scheduled to host the 2027 edition, was reassigned to 2025 following a CAF Executive Committee meeting in Cairo. Senegal, which had also submitted a bid to host the 2025 tournament, is contesting the procedural fairness and criteria of this decision.
Legal experts note that appeals of hosting decisions are complex and face a high procedural bar. CAS will now examine the FSF's submission and CAF's response. A final arbitral award is expected in the coming months, though such decisions are rarely overturned. The 2025 AFCON is scheduled to be held in June and July of that year.
