Afcon Final Chaos - Key Questions Answered

ByKatharine Sharpe
BBC Sport senior reporter


18 March 2026


The already chaotic story of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations last had another chapter added when the Confederation of African Football (Caf) reversed the result.


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


What do we understand - and what don't we understand - about why the choice was made, what takes place next, and what it means?


What occurred in the Afcon last?


With the score 0-0 in the eighth minute of interruption time in Rabat, referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a charge 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 motivated his group to leave the field in demonstration, with just Sadio Mane staying.


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


When they did, Diaz's Panenka-style penalty was easily conserved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy - and the match went to extra time, when Pape Gueye scored Senegal's winning objective.


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


Videos showed Diouf being tackled to the ground by 3 of the ball boys then dragged around on the floor as he tried to keep hold of the towel so Mendy could dry his gloves.


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


Caf's appeal board launched a declaration on 17 March - nearly 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 individuals - a president, vice-president and 7 other members.


They are all from different African nations, with Morocco and Senegal not presently represented.


The appeal board statement stated Senegal has contravened posts 82 and 84 of the competitors 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 eliminated.


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


Article 84 states a team contravening posts 82 and 83 will be eliminated from the competitors.


It is unclear from the wording whether articles 82 and 83 need to be broken for a team to be removed, and it appears Senegal have been penalised for contravening just post 82.


Will Senegal appeal - and how would that work?


The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has stated it will appeal against the verdict - describing the choice as "a travesty".


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


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


- 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 brand-new prize discussion - and what occurs to the medals?


There has not been a statement 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 players in January, and the competition reward money of $10 million.


Several members of the Senegal team have actually published photos of their medals on social networks because the result was reversed.


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


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


What will occur with wagering payouts?


Questions have actually likewise been inquired about what wagering companies will do - and whether people who backed Morocco will have their bets honoured.


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


Which other occurrences were referenced in the ruling?


The declaration from Caf likewise consisted of these other decisions occurring from the last:


An appeal by Morocco against Ismael Saibari being condemned of misconduct in infraction of short articles 82 and 83 was supported and his suspension minimized to two matches.


An appeal by Morocco against the fine imposed on the ball boys was partially maintained and the great minimized.


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


An appeal by Morocco against an occurrence with a laser pen was partly upheld, with the great decreased.


What has the reaction been?


The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) initially offered a brief declaration when the news of the judgment broke, declaring "its technique has never been intended to challenge the sporting efficiency of the teams taking part in this competition, however exclusively to ask for the application of the competitors's regulations".


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


The Senegalese federal government, meanwhile, required an "independent worldwide investigation" into "believed corruption" at African football's governing body.


BBC Sport has actually gotten in touch with Caf for remark.


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


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


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Morocco


Senegal