AFCON 2025: CAS Clears Nigeria’s Group Opponent, Throws Out Guinea’s Complaint

AFCON 2025: CAS Clears Nigeria’s Group Opponent, Throws Out Guinea’s Complaint

Sampson Adedeji

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has officially dismissed Guinea’s appeal against the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Tanzania Football Federation over the controversial AFCON 2025 qualifier played on November 19, 2024, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Guinea claimed that Tanzania fielded a player wearing an incorrect jersey number during the decisive qualifier, insisting that the incident constituted a regulatory violation that unfairly influenced the match.

They demanded that Tanzania be sanctioned and that the game be awarded 3-0 in their favour an outcome that would have sent Guinea to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations instead.

However, CAS ruled that the matter was purely an administrative oversight and had no bearing on the sporting outcome of the match.

The panel upheld CAF’s earlier decision, stressing that the error did not constitute grounds for match forfeiture or disqualification.

With the ruling, Tanzania’s qualification remains valid, and they will participate in AFCON 2025. Tanzania is placed in Group E alongside Nigeria, Tunisia, and Uganda, setting up what promises to be one of the most competitive groups of the tournament.

AFCON 2025 will be hosted in Morocco, kicking off on December 21, 2025.