‘The longest VAR check in history’ – the fallout from shock Afcon decision

African football – and the reputation of its Cup of Nations – was on a high after the 2023 tournament.

The event provided high-quality football, excellent atmospheres and an amazing comeback story, with hosts Ivory Coast winning the trophy despite losing their two opening matches.

Everything seemed set for the 2025 competition in Morocco to build on that success, with modern, state-of-the-art stadiums, passionate home fans and record-breaking numbers of travelling supporters.

It did deliver more goals and a bigger worldwide audience than ever before, but all it will now be remembered for is a chaotic final that ended with Senegal beating Morocco and – two months later – a decision to overturn its outcome.

One fan called it the longest VAR check in history.

Working at the tournament, I remember a feeling there was an extra edge in the build-up to the final in Rabat, compared to previous editions.

What stood out were the allegations – on social media – that hosts Morocco were getting the rub of the green when it came to refereeing decisions. It was becoming a big part of the managers’ pre-match news conferences.

The conspiracy theories seemed to be linked to a perceived close relationship between Morocco’s football federation and the Confederation of African Football (Caf).

Morocco have become a powerhouse in African football – regularly hosting tournaments like the Women’s Afcon, and helping Caf by hosting many qualifying matches for nations who can’t play at home.

There was chaos when Senegal arrived in Rabat for the final, and pictures of the players walking through huge crowds – with seemingly minimal security – went viral. Complaints followed from Senegal’s football federation that their original hotel wasn’t good enough – and that they didn’t have enough tickets for their fans.

It felt almost inevitable that a controversial moment during the game would lead to an incident – but no-one could have foreseen a group of players walking off the pitch as Senegal did in that chaotic conclusion to normal time.

Now, the two best teams on the continent are at loggerheads. Even before Tuesday’s decision, Senegal’s prime minister had complained about the prison sentences given to 18 people from the country after being convicted of hooliganism offences during the final. Many of the Senegal players spoke out in support of those fans.

The teams will meet again soon – potentially even in the next Afcon final – and you wonder, with relations at an all-time low, what sort of occasion that will be.

Some fans in Morocco are actually celebrating, but many don’t feel like they are true or proper African champions.

We’re all expecting the appeal to happen, eventually the decision will be overturned, and Senegal will remain champions of the 2025 African Cup of Nations.

The difficulty is what happens next.

I remember writing in my post-match report that Sadio Mane had elevated himself into the top five African football players of all time with his second Afcon win. He was nominated best player of the tournament.

The Moroccan coach, Walid Regragui, lost his job after the tournament.

Legacies were made. Senegal held parades… what do we do with all that? Are we supposed to forget it all?

I am very, very surprised. The final was literally two months ago and no-one was expecting like this.

It’s bittersweet. Of course, a trophy… you’d rather win it than not, but to win it this way doesn’t help Moroccan football or African football in general.

There’s no celebration. A cup, a trophy, especially for a nation who organised it like Morocco… to get told like this that, in the night, two months after… where are you going to celebrate it?

I think it’s really sad. As a player, you won’t feel like you have won it, even if you have the medal in your trophy cabinet. You will look at it and you know you lost the game on the pitch. It’s just a decision outside that’s been made in the offices.

It’s just beyond me that Caf hasn’t organised that in a better way.

It’s sad for Morocco and for Senegal, and we’ll have to see what the Court of Arbitration for Sport appeal brings as well, because there might be another twist.

I’m shocked. Everything about this decision, everything about this news, is mind-blowing, but not in a positive way – in a very negative way.

I have sympathy for each and every one of us that are in love with African football.

The biggest victim is not necessarily Senegalese players or the Senegalese population, but it’s all of us that have been working so hard to put African football where it is now.

The decision is out of proportion. It’s out of line. It’s too much.

I can’t see them [Senegal players] giving their medals back, first and foremost. I can guarantee that none of the Moroccan side is going to celebrate. No players are going to be celebrating ‘I’m African champion’.

World governing body Fifa and law-makers Ifab were both very concerned at the scenes that unfolded during the final.

There will be conversations at the Fifa Congress next month about potential sanctions for players who copy what Senegal did when a referee’s decision has gone against them.

But in situations like the Afcon final, currently the referee’s only real choice is to book players who leave the field without permission.

The referee blowing the final whistle doesn’t limit governing bodies from taking disciplinary decisions, though. We have seen teams thrown out of cup competitions for fielding players they shouldn’t have.