Al Hilal issue fresh CAF deadline, threaten CAS intervention

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has once again come under severe attack. This time around, Al Hilal Omdurman have once again threatened to drag the under-fire body to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The continental football governing body is reeling from its recent decision to strip Senegal off the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations title and hand it to Morocco. The Teranga Lions have since lodged a complaint to CAS seeking justice on the matter.

 

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Now, the Rwanda-based Al Hilal have vowed to take a similar legal route if CAF does not come out clean on the club’s appeal against Moroccan side RS Berkane over the circumstances surrounding their CAF Champions League quarterfinal second leg match.

The Botola Pro 1 side won 1-0 and 2-1 on aggregate to progress to the semifinal.

Why Al Hilal Omdurman are unhappy with CAF

Now, the Rwandan Premier League leaders are unhappy with CAF’s decision to schedule a hearing on the matter on 9 April two days before the semifinal first leg match between RS Berkane and AS FAR, both from Morocco.

“Al Hilal SC has today received, for the first time, a communication from CAF scheduling a hearing in case DC 2337 for April 9, 2026, two days before the semi-final match between AS FAR and RS Berkane,” reads the letter.

“This comes after five formal submissions filed between 23 March and 3 April 2026, none of which received any response. The scheduling of this hearing confirms that CAF has received and accepted Al Hilal SC’s claim. We welcome that. But we have serious concerns about what comes next.

“However, Al Hilal SC has received no communication regarding the position of RS Berkane, Hamza El Moussaoui, or any other party involved in this case. A club cannot be expected to attend a hearing in good faith without knowing the position of al intervening parties in advance. This silence is procedurally unacceptable.

“We have formally demanded that CAF confirm, before 6 April 2026 at 11h00 (Cairo time), either that a decision will be rendered and notified to all parties before the match of 11 April 2026, or that the match is suspended until a final decision is issued. If we receive no answer, we will file immediately before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Sticky issues between Al Hilal and RS Berkane

Al Hilal have also expressed reservations with the involvement of a CAF official in the case, claiming conflict of interest.

“Al Hilal SC further notes that the hearing of 9 April 2026 is to be presided over by the same individual who signed the decision of 14 March 2026 lifting the provisional suspension of Hamza El Moussaoui without legal basis and without notification to Al Hilal SC,” adds part of the statement.

“If CAF wishes to be taken seriously as an institution committed to procedural fairness and the rule of law, it must declare that individual conflicted and recuse him from any further involvement in this matter without delay.”

Basis for Al Hilal Omdurman case against CAF

Al Hilal claim that RS Berkane captain, Hamza El Moussaoui was ineligible to play in the Champions League quarterfinal match claiming he was serving a 30-day suspension after failing a doping test.

The Sudanese giants also claim their legitimate goal was unlawfully disallowed despite VAR rules, and a controversial penalty was awarded against them, leading to their elimination.