Sports Law Deadline Calculator
Appeal windows in sports arbitration are short, strictly enforced, and vary by forum — sometimes by the specific competition you’re dealing with. This tool calculates the general deadline for the situation you select, based on the sourced rule shown next to each option.
This calculator is informational only. It applies a general rule to the date you enter; it does not review your documents, does not account for exceptions, and is not a substitute for legal advice. Deadlines in sports arbitration are treated strictly — if you are at all unsure which rule applies to your situation, or how much time you have left, contact a lawyer immediately rather than relying on this calculator alone.
This is a calculated estimate based on a general rule. Confirm the exact deadline that applies to your specific decision before relying on it.
Reference Table — Where Each Deadline Comes From
| Situation | Deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Appeal to CAS from a final FIFA decision | 21 days | FIFA’s general rule for appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, applied throughout our Case Analysis library.See our CAS Procedure FAQ. |
| Announcing intent to appeal a CAF Disciplinary Board decision internally, to the CAF Appeal Board | 3 days | Confirmed from a real CAF Disciplinary Board decision, which states the party intending to appeal must announce that intention in writing within three days of notification.The full petition and grounds of appeal are then governed separately by the CAF Disciplinary Code’s own Article 55 — confirm the specific submission deadline directly rather than assuming it matches the 3-day notice period. |
| Appeal to CAS from a CAF Appeal Board decision, under competition-specific regulations | Varies — can be shorter than 21 days | In the AFCON 2025 final forfeiture dispute, the Senegalese Football Federation was given just 10 days to appeal the CAF Appeal Board’s ruling to CAS — not the general 21-day window.This is not included in the calculator above because it is competition-specific, not a general rule. Always confirm the exact deadline under the regulations of the specific competition involved. |