CAF Champions League: Al Hilal SC Threatens CAS Action Over Procedural “Silence”
The landscape of the 2025/2026 CAF Champions League has been plunged into legal uncertainty as Al Hilal SC issued an ultimatum to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), threatening to take their grievances to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
At the heart of the dispute is involving RS Berkane and player Hamza El Moussaoui. Al Hilal revealed today that after submitting five formal filings between March 23 and April 3, they finally received notification of a hearing scheduled for April 9, 2026.
While the Sudanese giants acknowledged the scheduling as a sign that their claim has been accepted, they expressed “serious concerns” regarding the lack of transparency. The club maintains it has received no information regarding the legal positions of RS Berkane or El Moussaoui, labeling the procedural silence as “unacceptable.”
The tension is furthered by Al Hilal’s sharp critique of the judicial appointments for the upcoming hearing. The club alleges that the individual presiding over the April 9 session is the same official who signed a March 14 decision lifting El Moussaoui’s provisional suspension.
Al Hilal contends this prior decision was made “without legal basis” and without notifying them. Consequently, they are demanding the immediate recusal of the official to ensure “procedural fairness and the rule of law.”
With the semi-final clash between AS FAR and RS Berkane looming on April 11, Al Hilal has issued a definitive deadline to the governing body. The club has formally demanded that CAF provide a response by April 6, 2026, at 11:00 (Cairo time), stipulating that the federation must either guarantee a final decision will be rendered and notified to all parties before the scheduled match or agree to suspend the fixture entirely until a verdict is reached. Al Hilal made their intentions clear, stating that a failure to receive a satisfactory answer by this deadline will result in an immediate filing before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). By taking this hardline stance, the club insists they are acting as a guardian for the integrity of African football, signaling that they will not allow the tournament to proceed while legal and procedural questions remain unanswered.
The timing of this legal challenge puts CAF in a difficult position. With the hearing set just 48 hours before a major semi-final, any delay or CAS intervention could disrupt the scheduling of Africa’s premier club competition as the deadline approaches.
