Afcon Final Chaos - Key Questions Answered

ByKatharine Sharpe
BBC Sport senior reporter


18 March 2026


The already disorderly story of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final had another chapter added when the Confederation of African Football (Caf) reversed the outcome.


Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in the final on 18 January, but that scoreline has been formally altered to a 3-0 victory to Morocco as an outcome of numerous Senegalese gamers walking off the pitch in demonstration throughout the match.


What do we understand - and what do not we understand - about why the decision was made, what happens next, and what it means?


What occurred in the Afcon last?


With the rating 0-0 in the 8th minute of blockage time in Rabat, referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty for a challenge by El Hadji Malick Diouf on Brahim Diaz.


Moments earlier, Ndala had actually eliminated a Senegal objective.


After the charge was offered, Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw encouraged his team to leave the field in demonstration, with just Sadio Mane staying.


The match was paused for 17 minutes, throughout which Mane encouraged his team-mates to return.


When they did, Diaz's Panenka-style charge was quickly saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy - and the match went to additional time, when Pape Gueye scored Senegal's winning goal.


During the match, there were clashes between Moroccan ball kids and Senegal reserve goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf, as he repeatedly attempted to prevent them from taking Mendy's towel from next to the goal.


Videos showed Diouf being taken on to the ground by three of the ball boys then dragged around on the flooring as he tried to keep hold of the towel so Mendy might dry his gloves.


Senegal government alleges corruption over Afcon


6 days ago


Listen: What next for Afcon after Senegal stripped of title?


Who made the decision to reverse the outcome - and what do the rules really state?


Caf's appeal board launched a declaration on 17 March - almost 2 months after the final - revealing Senegal would surrender the match and Morocco would be stated 3-0 winners after an appeal from the Moroccan Football Federation.


The appeal board is comprised of 9 people - a president, vice-president and seven other members.


They are all from different African countries, with Morocco and Senegal not currently represented.


The appeal board statement stated Senegal has actually contravened short articles 82 and 84 of the competitors policies.


82 states that if a team "leaves the ground before the routine end of the match without the authorisation of the referee", they are gotten rid of.


Article 83 states that a team "not present at the ground" on time for a match will likewise forfeit.


Article 84 states a group contravening articles 82 and 83 will be eliminated from the competition.


It is unclear from the wording whether short articles 82 and 83 requirement to be broken for a team to be gotten rid of, and it appears Senegal have been penalised for contravening just article 82.


Will Senegal appeal - and how would that work?


The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has said it will appeal versus the verdict - describing the decision as "a travesty".


Abdoulaye Seydou Sow - secretary general of the FSF - stated the organisation would lodge an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) in Switzerland.


An independent panel of certified arbitrators will then evaluate the case.


Raymond Hack - the former head of Caf's disciplinary panel - told BBC World Service the process might take another 6 months to conclude, which would imply it would be continuous throughout the World Cup.


Will there be a new prize discussion - and what takes place to the medals?


There has not been a statement on whether Morocco will have their own trophy event.


There are also concerns about what will happen to the winner's medals that were handed to Senegal gamers in January, and the competition reward cash of $10 million.


Several members of the Senegal group have published photos of their medals on social networks considering that the outcome was reversed.


"What do you do?" Hack stated on BBC World Service. "Call all the gamers back and state: 'Please offer your medal back ... please offer your prize money back ... I want to give it to somebody else.'


"Nobody's going to do that until the Court of Arbitration makes a last ruling."


What will happen with betting payments?


Questions have actually likewise been asked about what wagering business will do - and whether individuals who backed Morocco will have their bets honoured.


Paddy Power, SkyBet and Betfair and a number of other providers who have actually paid bets on Morocco, but it is not yet clear what will occur to those placed with other bookmakers.


Which other incidents were referenced in the ruling?


The declaration from Caf also included these other decisions occurring from the final:


An appeal by Morocco versus Ismael Saibari being condemned of misbehavior in infraction of short articles 82 and 83 was upheld and his suspension lowered to two matches.


An appeal by Morocco against the fine enforced on the ball young boys was partially upheld and the great minimized.


An appeal by Morocco against being found guilty of disturbance around the OFR/VAR review location was dismissed and the fine remains in location.


An appeal by Morocco versus an event with a laser pen was partly supported, with the great decreased.


What has the reaction been?


The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) initially offered a short declaration when the news of the ruling broke, claiming "its method has never been meant to challenge the sporting performance of the groups taking part in this competition, but entirely to ask for the application of the competition's policies".


An upgraded statement on Wednesday said that the outcome would contribute "to the consistency and reliability of worldwide competitions, especially African football."


The Senegalese government, meanwhile, called for an "independent worldwide investigation" into "suspected corruption" at African football's governing body.


BBC Sport has contacted Caf for comment.


The FSF had earlier denounced the "unreasonable, unmatched, and undesirable choice, which casts a shadow over African football".


It said the attract Cas was important to "safeguard its rights and the interests of Senegalese football".


When can Arsenal win the Premier League?


When could Wolves be relegated?


What occurs when a manager gets suspended?


Morocco


Senegal