The Athletic FC Podcast AFCON chaos: Will Senegal keep the trophy?
Mar 31, 2026
Simon Hughes, experienced football writer and rules expert, and Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero, on-the-ground African football reporter, dissect the AFCON fallout. They reconstruct the final’s key moments. They debate CAF’s reversal, procedural flaws and reputational damage. They cover player reactions, Morocco’s ambitions, women's AFCON postponement and wider governance concerns.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Senegal's Defiant Trophy Parade In Paris
- Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero described Senegal parading the AFCON trophy in Paris with chants, a halftime montage, and Khalidou Koulibaly carrying the cup to each corner of Stade de France.
- He noted bizarre moments like the trophy being seemingly guarded at halftime and later stuffed into a backpack to bring onto the pitch.
Refereeing And VAR Frictions Fueled The Dispute
- Simon Hughes traced the fallout to refereeing controversies earlier in the tournament and an inconsistent VAR application in the final that fuelled perceptions of bias toward Morocco.
- He highlighted the key moment: a Senegal goal ruled out without VAR while Morocco later received VAR for a penalty, stoking distrust.
Legal Technicalities Overturned The On‑Field Outcome
- The CAF Appeals Committee overturned the result 57 days later, citing rules about teams leaving the pitch, creating a legal-technical basis for awarding Morocco the title.
- Simon warned the late timing and procedural complexity left Senegal and fans bewildered and could take months to resolve.