The saga surrounding the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy has taken a legal turn as Morocco opposes Senegal's planned presentation of the trophy at a friendly match at the Stade de France. The president of the Moroccan Lawyers Club, Mourad Elajouti, announced that legal action would be taken against the Société d'Exploitation Stade de France and the GL Events group if Senegal presents the trophy at its match against Peru on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
According to Elajouti, these entities are directly liable by supporting a ceremony based on a revoked title. He stated that holding the event would lead to lawsuits for damages under Article 1240 of the Civil Code, relating to tort liability. Furthermore, he does not rule out seeking an emergency court order for the judicial sequestration of the trophy, in accordance with Article 1961 of the Civil Code. Moroccan lawyers argue that, without a conventional or legal title of ownership, the object of the dispute must be placed in the custody of a court commissioner.
This legal action follows a decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeals Jury on March 17, 2026, which reassigned the title of the 2025 AFCON to Morocco. CAF justified its decision by citing articles of the competition regulations, following the conduct of the Senegalese team during the final. Senegal had initially won the final 1-0 against Morocco, but the CAF Appeals Jury ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match, thus granting an administrative victory and the title to Morocco.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has challenged this decision before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The FSF is seeking the annulment of the CAF decision and its recognition as the winner of the 2025 AFCON. However, in the absence of a suspensive decision by the CAS, Moroccan lawyers consider that Senegal's exhibition of the trophy constitutes a usurpation of title and a manifestly unlawful disturbance.
Despite the controversy, Senegal maintains its intention to present the 2025 AFCON trophy during its friendly match against Peru at the Stade de France on March 28, 2026. This presentation ceremony is seen by Morocco as a violation of the CAF decision and could lead to legal consequences for the organizers of the event. The case highlights the ongoing tensions between the two federations and the fierce legal battle over the title of the 2025 AFCON.
Pending a decision from the CAS, Morocco is intensifying its efforts to prevent Senegal from presenting the trophy, highlighting the complexity and sensitivity of this case, which now extends beyond the purely sporting sphere. The threat of legal action adds a new dimension to this dispute, casting uncertainty over the holding of the ceremony planned at the Stade de France.
