Afcon Final Chaos - Key Questions Answered
ByKatharine Sharpe
BBC Sport senior journalist
18 March 2026
The currently of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final had another chapter included when the Confederation of African Football (Caf) overturned the outcome.
Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in the last on 18 January, but that scoreline has actually been officially changed to a 3-0 victory to Morocco as an outcome of several Senegalese players strolling off the pitch in demonstration during the match.
What do we understand - and what do not we understand - about why the choice was made, what happens next, and what it implies?
What happened 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 an obstacle by El Hadji Malick Diouf on Brahim Diaz.
Moments earlier, Ndala had dismissed a Senegal goal.
After the charge was provided, Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw encouraged his team to leave the field in protest, with just Sadio Mane staying.
The match was stopped briefly for 17 minutes, during which Mane encouraged 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 extra time, when Pape Gueye scored Senegal's winning objective.
During the match, there were clashes between Moroccan ball young boys and Senegal reserve goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf, as he consistently 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 young boys then dragged around on the floor as he tried to keep hold of the towel so Mendy might dry his gloves.
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Who made the decision to reverse the outcome - and what do the guidelines actually state?
Caf's appeal board released a statement on 17 March - nearly two months after the final - announcing Senegal would forfeit the match and Morocco would be stated 3-0 winners after an appeal from the Moroccan Football Federation.
The appeal board is made up of nine 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 contravened articles 82 and 84 of the competitors regulations.
Article 82 states that if a team "leaves the ground before the regular end of the match without the authorisation of the referee", they are gotten rid of.
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 short articles 82 and 83 will be gotten rid of from the competitors.
It is not clear from the wording whether articles 82 and 83 need to be broken for a team to be gotten rid of, and it appears Senegal have actually been punished for contravening just post 82.
Will Senegal appeal - and how would that work?
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has said it will appeal versus the decision - explaining the choice 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 accredited arbitrators will then evaluate the case.
Raymond Hack - the former head of Caf's disciplinary panel - informed BBC World Service the procedure could 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 takes place to the medals?
There has actually not been an announcement on whether Morocco will have their own prize ceremony.
There are likewise questions about what will occur to the winner's medals that were handed to Senegal gamers in January, and the tournament cash prize of $10 million.
Several members of the Senegal team have 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 provide your medal back ... please offer your cash prize back ... I wish to give it to someone else.'
"Nobody's going to do that up until the Court of Arbitration makes a last judgment."
What will occur with betting payouts?
Questions have actually also been inquired about what betting companies will do - and whether individuals who backed Morocco will have their bets honoured.
Paddy Power, SkyBet and Betfair and a number of other suppliers who have paid bets on Morocco, but it is not yet clear what will take place to those positioned with other bookmakers.
Which other events were referenced in the judgment?
The statement from Caf also included these other choices occurring from the final:
An appeal by Morocco versus Ismael Saibari being found guilty of misbehavior in offense of short articles 82 and 83 was upheld and his suspension minimized to two matches.
An appeal by Morocco versus the great troubled the ball kids was partially maintained and the fine decreased.
An appeal by Morocco versus being condemned of interference around the OFR/VAR review location was dismissed and the fine remains in place.
An appeal by Morocco against an occurrence with a laser pen was partially promoted, with the great lowered.
What has the reaction been?
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) at first provided a short declaration when the news of the judgment broke, claiming "its technique has actually never ever been planned to challenge the sporting performance of the teams participating in this competitors, but solely to request the application of the competition's regulations".
An upgraded statement on Wednesday said that the result would contribute "to the consistency and reliability of international competitors, particularly African football."
The Senegalese federal government, on the other hand, called for an "independent worldwide examination" into "believed corruption" at African football's governing body.
BBC Sport has actually gotten in touch with Caf for remark.
The FSF had earlier denounced the "unreasonable, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision, which casts a shadow over African football".
It said the attract Cas was vital to "protect its rights and the interests of Senegalese football".
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Morocco
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