Reports claiming Morocco failed to meet the legal deadline to respond to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the ongoing AFCON 2025 final dispute have been dismissed by Moroccan football authorities.
According to Moroccan outlet Almountakhab, officials within the Royal Moroccan Football Federation confirmed that the country has officially filed its defence in the case brought forward by the Senegalese Football Federation.
The appeal centres around CAF’s controversial decision to uphold Morocco’s AFCON 2025 triumph after Senegal withdrew from the final against the Atlas Lions.
Speculation had emerged suggesting Morocco failed to submit its legal response before the required deadline. However, federation sources insisted that all procedures were respected in accordance with legal regulations governing the CAS process.
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Moroccan officials explained that the original filing deadline fell during the weekend, which automatically shifted the deadline to the next official working day.
As a result, Morocco’s legal response was reportedly submitted on Monday, May 11, 2026.
The federation believes the documents filed will reinforce Morocco’s legal position while also countering allegations of procedural irregularities surrounding the final and the aftermath of CAF’s ruling.
The controversy traces back to CAF’s Appeals Committee decision to award Morocco a 3-0 victory after Senegal abandoned the AFCON 2025 final.
Reports indicated that Senegal’s players walked off the pitch on the instruction of their coach after Morocco were awarded a penalty during the match. The Teranga Lions reportedly remained off the field for more than 15 minutes before the game was eventually halted.
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Morocco’s legal argument is understood to rely heavily on CAF regulations which state that any team that withdraws from a match automatically forfeits the contest.
The federation has also reportedly submitted additional evidence and supporting documentation detailing the sequence of events during the final as they seek to protect their continental crown amid the escalating CAS battle.
