Sidama Coffees Legal Challenge Terminates As CAS Affirms EFFs Cup Decision
End of an Appeal: CAS Rejects Sidama Coffee, Confirms Wolaita Dicha as Cup Winners
LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has officially terminated the appeal of Sidama Coffee Football Club, putting a definitive end to the high-stakes dispute that has captivated Ethiopian football for weeks. The ruling solidifies the Ethiopian Football Federation’s (EFF) decision and clarifies the nation’s representatives for the upcoming continental championships.
The appeal, which was registered under the case number “CAS 2025/A/11595 Sidama Bunna Football Club Vs Ethiopian Football Federation,” was ultimately dismissed on procedural grounds. According to the provided legal documents, the club failed to meet the strict procedural requirements of the CAS Code, including not submitting the substantive legal arguments in a timely and proper format. A subsequent request for an extension was rejected, leading to the full termination and closure of the case file.
This final decision provides a conclusion to a story mired in conflicting reports and institutional conflict. While the EFF had announced the appeal was underway, an earlier report by the publication Ethio Insight quoted a senior CAS official who denied an appeal had been officially filed. The CAS termination confirms that, regardless of its initial status, the legal challenge has now been fully concluded in favor of the EFF.
The dispute originated from the 2025 Ethiopian Cup final. Sidama Coffee’s on-field victory was overturned after a formal complaint from their opponent, Wolaita Dicha Sport Club. The EFF’s executive committee found Wolaita Dicha’s claims of player eligibility violations and biased officiating to be valid, reversing the result and awarding the title to Wolaita Dicha.
In a related development, the Ethiopian Premier League Share Company (EPLSC) is currently investigating over 200 transfers for potential financial irregularities, a move that has already resulted in Sidama Coffee officials being banned from a recent general assembly. This signals a broader push for greater regulatory compliance within Ethiopian football.
Ethiopia’s Path to African Football
With the CAS ruling now final, the path for Ethiopia’s clubs in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) inter-club competitions is officially set.
- CAF Confederation Cup: As the confirmed winners of the Ethiopian Cup, Wolaita Dicha Sport Club will represent the country in the 2025/2026 CAF Confederation Cup.
- CAF Champions League: The reigning Ethiopian Premier League champions, Ethiopia Nigd Bank, will compete in the CAF Champions League.
According to official announcements from CAF, the preliminary round draw for both competitions is scheduled to take place on August 12, 2025, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The first-leg matches are provisionally set to kick off in mid-September. The draw will determine the opponents, specific dates, and venues for Ethiopia’s two representatives as they begin their continental campaigns.
About The Author
