Morocco lost the match in Rabat 1-0 to Senegal after extra time, but not before Senegal's players had staged a walk-off after having a penalty awarded against them near the end of regulation time.

The match resumed after the walk-off with Senegal scoring in extra time, but CAF's Appeal Board decided that Senegal had forfeited the match, with the result now being recorded as 3–0 in favour of Morocco.

CAF’s disciplinary board had rejected Morocco’s initial protest, but the appeal board found in their favour, with the decision announced late on Wednesday.

It said the conduct of the Senegal team fell “within the scope of Articles 82 and 84 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations”, which state that “if, for any reason whatsoever, a team refuses to play or leaves the ground before the regular end of the match without the authorisation of the referee, it shall be considered the loser and shall be eliminated for good from the current competition”.

Senegal stormed off the field in protest at a penalty awarded against it near the end of the 90 minutes of regulation time, after a VAR check by Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala after Brahim Diaz had been tugged to the ground by Senegal fullback El Hadji Malick Diouf while defending a corner five minutes into stoppage time.

Officials and players jostled with each other while the referee consulted the touchline screen, and when he made his decision, Senegal walked off.

The players returned to beat host nation Morocco 1-0 after extra time and win the Africa Cup of Nations amid farcical scenes.

Senegal coach Pape Bouna Thiaw ordered his players off, and it was talisman Sadio Mane who persuaded them to return.

Thiaw was later suspended, although only for matches in the next Cup of Nations qualifiers, which start after the World Cup in June, for which both Morocco and Senegal have qualified.

The decision means Morocco is crowned African champion for the second time, 50 years after its first Cup of Nations title.

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation acknowledged the decision and reiterated that the appeal was aimed solely at having the competition regulations properly applied.

"The Federation reaffirms its commitment to respecting the rules, the clarity of the competitive framework, and the stability of African competitions," it said in a statement.

The Appeal Board found the conduct of the Senegal team fell "within the scope of Articles 82 and 84 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations".

They state that "if, for any reason whatsoever, a team refuses to play or leaves the ground before the regular end of the match without the authorisation of the referee, it shall be considered the loser".

In the final, the Senegal players stormed off the field in protest at a penalty awarded against them by Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala following a VAR check deep in stoppage time at the end of the regulation 90 minutes.

Officials and players jostled with each other while the referee consulted the touchline screen and when he made his decision, Senegal coach Pape Bouna Thiaw, who was later fined $100,000 and suspended, ordered his players off the pitch.

The players were cajoled back onto the pitch by winger Sadio Mane only to watch Morocco's Brahim Diaz chip the ball tamely into the arms of Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy from the penalty spot, sending the match into extra time.

CAF also announced the setting aside of a $100,000 fine handed to Morocco striker Ismael Saibari and a reduction of his suspension from three matches to one for his role in the chaotic scenes.

A $100,000 fine imposed on Morocco for its players and officials attempting to interfere in the VAR process will stand, however.