Afcon Final Chaos - Key Questions Answered

ByKatharine Sharpe
BBC Sport senior reporter


18 March 2026


The currently chaotic story of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final had another chapter added when the Confederation of African Football (Caf) overturned the result.


Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in the last on 18 January, however that scoreline has actually been formally changed to a 3-0 triumph to Morocco as a result of several Senegalese players walking off the pitch in demonstration throughout the match.


What do we know - and what do not we understand - about why the choice was made, what happens next, and what it indicates?


What happened in the Afcon final?


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


Moments previously, Ndala had actually eliminated a Senegal goal.


After the penalty was provided, Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw encouraged his group to leave the field in demonstration, with only Sadio Mane staying.


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


When they did, Diaz's Panenka-style penalty was quickly conserved 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 in between Moroccan ball boys and Senegal reserve goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf, as he repeatedly attempted to prevent them from stealing Mendy's towel from next to the goal.


Videos revealed Diouf being tackled to the ground by three of the ball kids then dragged around on the flooring as he attempted to keep hold of the towel so Mendy could dry his gloves.


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Who decided to overturn the result - and what do the rules in fact state?


Caf's appeal board released a statement on 17 March - almost two months after the last - announcing 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 nine individuals - a president, vice-president and 7 other members.


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


The appeal board declaration stated Senegal has actually contravened short articles 82 and 84 of the competition regulations.


Article 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 also forfeit.


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


It is unclear from the phrasing whether posts 82 and 83 requirement to be broken for a team to be eliminated, and it appears Senegal have actually been penalised for contravening just article 82.


Will Senegal appeal - and how would that work?


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


Abdoulaye Seydou Sow 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 accredited arbitrators will then evaluate the case.


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


Will there be a new trophy discussion - and what occurs to the medals?


There has not been an announcement on whether Morocco will have their own trophy event.


There are also questions about what will occur to the winner's medals that were handed to Senegal gamers in January, and the tournament prize money of $10 million.


Several members of the Senegal group have actually published images of their medals on social networks because the outcome was reversed.


"What do you do?" Hack said on BBC World Service. "Call all the players back and state: 'Please provide your medal back ... please give your prize money back ... I desire to provide it to somebody else.'


"Nobody's going to do that up until the Court of Arbitration makes a final judgment."


What will happen with wagering payments?


Questions have actually also been inquired about what betting business will do - and whether people who backed Morocco will have their bets honoured.


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


Which other occurrences were referenced in the ruling?


The statement from Caf likewise included these other decisions emerging from the last:


An appeal by Morocco against Ismael Saibari being condemned of misbehavior in infraction of articles 82 and 83 was promoted and his suspension decreased to 2 matches.


An appeal by Morocco versus the fine imposed on the ball kids was partly promoted and the fine lowered.


An appeal by Morocco versus being condemned of disturbance around the OFR/VAR review location was dismissed and the fine stays in location.


An appeal by Morocco versus an occurrence with a laser pen was partially promoted, with the great lowered.


What has the reaction been?


The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) initially offered a short declaration when the news of the judgment broke, declaring "its technique has never ever been meant to challenge the sporting efficiency of the teams taking part in this competition, however exclusively to request the application of the competition's policies".


An upgraded statement on Wednesday stated that the result would contribute "to the consistency and credibility of worldwide competitions, especially African football."


The Senegalese federal government, meanwhile, required an "independent international examination" into "suspected corruption" at African football's governing body.


BBC Sport has contacted Caf for comment.


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


It stated the attract Cas was necessary to "defend its rights and the interests of Senegalese football".


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Morocco


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