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Senegal Stage Walkout VS Morocco, Sadio Mane Calls Players Back; Brahi

Sanjeev Kumar | January 19, 2026 8:22 AM CST

The 2026 AFCON final saw unprecedented scenes in the 2026 AFCON final between Senegal and Morocco at the Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat in what will go down as the most eventful football game in history.

Senegal staged a walkout after the hosts were awarded a penalty in the dying minutes of added time after their own was chalked off just minutes earlier. Just as the referee saw the incident on the screen and decided to award the penalty, the Senegal manager, Pape Thiaw, called his players back from the field and urged them to leave the pitch. The Senegal players stormed out of the field and into the tunnel. Before the penalty, Senegal had found the back of the net, but the referee called a foul. He blew his whistle before the goal was scored. This meant that VAR could not be used despite many feeling that it was the wrong decision.

The Senegal players returned to the field a few minutes later, with Sadio Mane refusing to leave the pitch. He called his teammates back, and play resumed after being stopped for nearly 15 minutes. While the drama took place on the field, Senegal fans were left fuming in the stands and got into a fight with local security.

However, there was no end to the drama even if the match started as Braham Diaz missed the penalty. The Real Madrid star attempted a panenka but failed to find any elevation, and Eduard Mendy comfortably saved it. There was no time for any more action as the full-time whistle was blown, which sent the game to extra time. Senegal took the lead in the 94th minute during the first half of extra time with a stunning finish from Pape Gueye. The Villarreal midfielder fired into the back of the net from outside the box from his weaker left foot.

Senegal held onto the lead and won the tournament with a 1-0 victory. They won the tournament for the second time after lifting the trophy in 2022 for the first time. This marked Morocco's first defeat in a competitive football match home since 2009.