The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has thrown out an appeal filed by the Fédération Guinéenne de Football (FEGUIFOOT) seeking to overturn Tanzania’s qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The dispute stemmed from an alleged shirt-number irregularity during the AFCON qualifier played on 19 November 2024, a match Tanzania won 1-0.
Guinea claimed that a Tanzanian player took to the pitch wearing jersey number 26 instead of his officially registered number 24, arguing that the discrepancy offered an unfair tactical advantage and should result in a forfeit.
CAF’s Appeal Board rejected Guinea’s protest on 11 June 2025, prompting FEGUIFOOT to escalate the matter to CAS.
In their submission, the Guinean federation demanded either a 3-0 walkover victory or Tanzania’s disqualification from the upcoming AFCON, insisting Guinea should occupy the resulting vacant spot.
An in-person hearing on the case was held in Lausanne on 17 November 2025.
CAS has now confirmed that its panel unanimously upheld CAF’s earlier decision, ruling that Tanzania rightfully earned its AFCON place. The tournament kicks off on 21 December 2025.
The tribunal noted that the operative decision is final, while the full written reasoning will be released later after confidentiality matters are addressed.
With the appeal dismissed, Guinea’s attempt to overturn the qualification outcome has reached its end, allowing Tanzania to proceed with its AFCON preparations without further legal disputes.
