The Royal Moroccan Football Federation has formally filed its defense with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) following Senegal’s appeal against the CAF’s decision to award the CAN 2025 hosting rights to Morocco. The submission adheres strictly to the established procedural deadlines set by the international sports tribunal.
Next steps in the legal proceedings
Following Morocco’s defense submission, the CAS will now proceed to examine the case file submitted by both the Moroccan and Senegalese football federations. The tribunal’s arbitration panel will review all arguments presented before making a final determination on the matter.
The Moroccan side has categorically denied claims suggesting their submission was submitted after the deadline. According to procedural rules, deadlines that fall on non-working days (such as Sunday) are automatically extended to the next business day, making Monday’s filing fully compliant with CAS regulations.
Background of the dispute
The disagreement stems from the controversial final of CAN 2025 between Senegal and Morocco, where the Senegalese team walked off the field, leading the CAF’s Appeals Committee to award a 3-0 forfeit victory to Morocco. Senegal subsequently filed an appeal against this decision with the CAS.
