Abdoulaye Fall: Backs Morocco 2030 Bid amid TAS Dispute

• Abdoulaye Fall, President of the Senegalese Football Federation, supports Morocco hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup final, viewing it as an African victory.
• This endorsement occurs amidst an ongoing dispute between the Senegalese and Moroccan football federations at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS).
• The TAS case concerns the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, where Senegal's 1-0 on-field victory was overturned by a CAF Appeals Commission decision awarding Morocco a 3-0 win.
• Senegal filed its appeal on March 25, and a hearing is now scheduled for October 8 in Lausanne, Switzerland.
• Despite the legal challenge, the Senegalese Football Federation continues to celebrate its on-field triumph from the 2025 AFCON final.

This unexpected endorsement from a key figure in Senegalese football comes despite an active legal dispute between the two nations' federations before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Abdoulaye Fall, president of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), has publicly backed Morocco's bid to host the final of the 2030 FIFA World Cup. This significant declaration comes despite an ongoing and contentious legal battle between the FSF and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS). Fall articulated his belief that awarding the 2030 World Cup final to Morocco would represent a triumph for the entire African continent.

Morocco is currently vying with Spain to secure the hosting rights for the 2030 World Cup final, a tournament that will be jointly organized with Portugal.

The core of the legal contention revolves around the outcome of the 2025 AFCON final, which took place on January 18, 2026, in Rabat. In that match, Senegal secured an on-field victory against Morocco with a score of 1-0. Morocco had advanced to the final after defeating Nigeria 4-2 in a penalty shootout, following a goalless draw in their semi-final encounter.

However, the on-field result was subsequently challenged by the FRMF. Following their protest, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeals Commission issued a ruling that declared Senegal forfeited, thereby awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory. This decision fundamentally altered the official outcome of the continental championship, prompting Senegal to escalate the matter to the TAS.

Senegal formally lodged its appeal with the TAS on March 25. Initially, the arbitration process proceeded without an immediate hearing date being set for several months after the appeal's submission. The Moroccan Federation, the respondent in the case, submitted its defense brief on May 7.

A crucial hearing in this sports arbitration case is now scheduled for October 8, to be held in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Despite the ongoing legal challenge and the CAF Appeals Commission's decision, the Senegalese Football Federation has continued to assert its claim to the 2025 AFCON title. This stance has been publicly demonstrated through various initiatives aimed at celebrating what the FSF considers a victory achieved on the field of play.

For instance, ahead of a friendly match against Peru on March 28 at the Stade de France, Senegalese players encouraged the diaspora to join in a moment of collective celebration. The FSF itself pledged to organize festivities around this perceived triumph, underscoring the deep national pride and conviction surrounding their performance in the 2025 AFCON final, irrespective of the pending TAS verdict.

This case highlights the intricate relationship between sports politics and ongoing legal disputes in international football. Lawyers specializing in sports arbitration should monitor the upcoming TAS hearing on October 8th for potential precedents regarding inter-federation disputes and the enforcement of continental competition results.

Source: Reporting based on Senegalese media.