Joseph-Antoine Bell calls for balance as CAS reviews Morocco-Senegal Africa Cup of Nations final

Home Home Latest News Latest News World Footaball World Footaball Ghana Players Abroad Ghana Players Abroad Ghana Premier League Ghana Premier League National Teams National Teams Videos Videos Black Stars Black Stars Transfer News & Rumours Transfer News & Rumours Kotoko Kotoko Hearts Of Oak Hearts Of Oak Joseph-Antoine Bell calls for balance as CAS reviews Morocco-Senegal Africa Cup of Nations final 10 October 2026 Share this with Email Share this with Facebook Share this with Twitter Share this with Whatsapp Joseph-Antoine Bell has urged an even-handed view of the dispute between Morocco and Senegal ahead of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling on the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final.

The decision is expected between 18 and 22 October, according to Winwin, following last Thursday’s hearing involving the two parties. The case centres on whether Morocco should be awarded the title after the result of the final was overturned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal Jury.

Senegal originally won the match 1-0 on 18 January at Rabat’s Moulay Abdellah Stadium. However, on 17 March, the CAF Appeal Jury reversed that outcome and declared Morocco the winner by forfeit.

Morocco had initially been unsuccessful in its challenge, but the appeal was upheld after the federation argued that Senegal had breached Articles 82 and 84 of the Africa Cup of Nations regulations. Those provisions state that a team can be deemed to have lost by forfeit if it leaves the field before a match has ended.

In the closing stages of the final, Senegal’s players briefly walked off the pitch after their then-manager Pape Thiaw encouraged them to protest against a penalty awarded to Morocco. The incident came moments after a Senegal goal had been disallowed.

Senegal subsequently took the case to CAS, relying on Article 5 of the International Football Association Board’s Laws of the Game. That article gives the referee authority over the match and supports the official’s decision to allow the game to continue through to its conclusion.

Speaking by telephone to RFI, former Cameroon goalkeeper Bell said responsibility should not be placed entirely on either side. He argued that Morocco was justified in bringing the complaint under the wording of the regulations, while Senegal was also at fault when judged against the spirit of the game.

“Morocco can be criticised for trying to win on a technicality,” Bell said.

He also suggested that the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) risked appearing overly forceful because it had accepted for the match to continue to its conclusion before later pursuing the complaint.

The original result was therefore replaced two months after Senegal’s victory on the field, leaving CAS to determine whether the regulations should prevail over the referee’s decision and the circumstances in which the match ended.

With the ruling due later in October, the dispute over the outcome of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final remains unresolved.