An engrossing month of African football came to a conclusion on Sunday in a final that was both horrendous and spellbinding, and while the last weeks have brought great praise for the African game and immense attention to the continent's top players, it leaves significant uncertainty for the future.
As the dust settles on a truly unforgettable Nations Cup, ESPN attempt to pick through the pieces and examine the key talking points and unanswered questions after AFCON 2025.
1. What punishment should Senegal face?
For walking off the field during the final, and for the behaviour of their supporters during extra time, it appears almost certain that Senegal will face considerable sanctions.
Morocco have insisted that the acts described by King Mohammed VI as 'deplorable' will not impact the relationship between the two countries, but Gianni Infantino has condemned the Teranga Lions' behaviour while CAF have vowed 'appropriate action'.
A fine appears certain, but will Senegal's title be in jeopardy, or their future AFCON participation, or World Cup participation?
Head coach Pape Thiaw will surely face considerable individual sanctions, while some Senegalese supporters face criminal charges in Morocco for assaulting security and stadium officials.
Senegal's walk-off could have been interpreted as a security measure in light of the escalating situation in the stadium, but Thiaw's admission that the move was a protest against the refereeing may come back to harm him.
"I simply tried to protect my players from injustice," he posted on Instagram. "What some will see as a violation of the rules is nothing more than an emotional reaction to the bias of the situation."
2. Will Senegal's behaviour spark copycat VAR protests?
There was some talk, in the immediate aftermath of the final, that Senegal's behaviour could spark copycat VAR protests at major events.
It's important to remember that their decision to abandon - albeit temporarily - the match came in the context of the overall sense of favouritism Morocco were perceived to be receiving during the tournament, from referees and others, and not just because of that final VAR decision that was the straw that broke the camel's back.
However, Senegal did abandon the match in light of a (correct) refereeing decision that they disagreed with, but ultimately escaped Rabat with the AFCON title, threatening the integrity of the sport and perhaps highlighting to others that such behaviour could be rewarded.
Unless the sanctions meted out are sufficiently severe to deter others, Senegal's behaviour could yet embolden acts of protest against officiating, particularly within a context of perceived injustice.
3. What repercussions for Morocco?
Senegal aren't the only ones likely on the receiving end of sanctions, with the comportment of Moroccan players, tournament organisers and stadium officials certainly requiring investigation as a minimum.
From the way the Senegal team's pre-final arrival at Rabat Agdal stadium was handled, to their grievances about accommodation, ticketing and training logistics, to the towel-stealing fiascos during the final, to their preparedness for the behaviour of the Teranga Lions supporters, the tournament hosts have some serious questions to answer.
Ismael Saibari may have apologised for his role in the repeated Moroccan attempts to steal Édouard Mendy's towel - as they had done to Stanley Nwabali before him - but his behaviour, and that of Achraf Hakimi, set the example for ball boys, stadium security, and supporters to follow.
4. Will Morocco ever win the AFCON?
The moment Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw exited his press conference after hostility from journalists following Senegal's walk-off during the Africa Cup of Nations final.
This was the no-brainer, this was the banker, this was the one that couldn't fail...and yet, with seemingly everything in their favour, Morocco still couldn't get over the line.
The Atlas Lions had home support on their side, they had the various organs and machinery of organisation, administration and (if you believe the rumours) officiating with them, they had the richest and deepest squad, a head coach who knows this selection inside out, a world record winning streak, the experience of reaching the World Cup semifinal, Africa's best player in Achraf Hakimi...and yet...they still couldn't win their first title since 1976.
We talk about curses in football - Benfica springs to mind - but Morocco's 50-year wait (and counting) for a continental crown, despite hosting twice over the last half century, doesn't look like ending any time soon.
5. Did Brahim Díaz miss it deliberately?
Diaz demonstrated - perhaps more effectively than any footballer in history - how fine the line between national institution and national pariah can be.
Had he converted that late, late stoppage-time penalty, he would have tasted immortality, received the keys to the city of Rabat, and been summoned to meet the king.
In missing it, particularly in the way he did, he opened the door to (only partly joking) talk of banishment, of exile, and it's a failure that he'll have to live with for the rest of his days.
This wasn't just a missed penalty, it was one of the most poorly taken penalties in the history of professional football.
In fact, it was so shambolic, that my immediate reaction - and the suspicions of many others - was that he failed deliberately, preferring to fail as a hero than win as a villain.
The theory's compelling given the complete lack of Senegal celebration at Mendy's save, the viral footage that's emerged of Sadio Mané gesturing to the goalkeeper of a pre-agreed arrangement, or Idrissa Gueye apparently reassuring his teammates that the forward would miss, and rumours of a royal intervention to assuage any potential diplomatic incident that could have driven a rift between the two countries should Morocco have won in such a way.
Perhaps it's simpler to assume that, during the 17-minute delay between the penalty being awarded and him taking it, pressure and self-doubt got to Diaz...or maybe it was hubris, the oldest downfall in the book, the desire not just to win it, but to win it with all of the panache that the panenka can bring.
Perhaps this is one question that will never be answered, although Mendy certainly doesn't believe in any conspiracy theory.
"You have to be serious," he told Mundo Deportivo. "Do you really think that with one minute to go and with a country that has been waiting for a title for 50 years, we would be able to agree?
"He wanted to score and I have the credit for having saved him, that's all," he concluded. "He tried. I tried to stay balanced in the centre of the goal for as long as possible. Luck smiled on us. We kept the team in the game."
Mendy quote: https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/20260119/1002604034/mendy-niega-brahim-fallara-proposito-penalti-podo-impedir-prorroga.html
6. How will CAF address other AFCON controversies?
CAF have already handed out punishments to two Algeria players - Luca Zidane and Rafik Belghali - for their part in the post-match scuffle against Nigeria, but that's only the tip of the iceberg of some of the issues the continent's footballing governing body must address after the tournament.
It's clear that refereeing and the use of VAR needs examination, while ticketing issues, and racist supporter behaviour aimed towards Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali are further subjects that require attention from CAF.
7. Will Eric Chelle stay with Nigeria?
Senegal celebrate their AFCON championship victory with an open top bus parade through the streets of Dakar.
On the subject of the Super Eagles, the future of head coach Chelle became an increasingly hot topic during the course of the tournament, with the former Mali boss winning over many admirers.
He deserved a lot of the praise, having landed on a schema that got the best out of Nigeria's attacking options, ensured defensive solidity, and underpinned the Super Eagles' run to the bronze medal.
For now, it seems the NFF are unwilling to extend the Abidjan-born tactician's contract, which runs until January 2027, although it appears as though he prefers to remain with Nigeria despite rumours of interest from Tunisia.
"I hope they give me the chance to be this coach after the tournament," Chelle told ESPN ahead of the third-place match against Egypt. "There's a lot of work to do."
8. How will the AFCON serve Africa's World Cup-bound teams?
In principle, African teams can approach the World Cup in just over four months with a distinct advantage ahead of their rivals from other continents.
The tournament should have played a crucial evaluative and preparatory role for coaches as they look to assess their squads, settle on an effective tactical plan, experiment with lineups and develop team chemistry and understanding.
Chelle, who won't be taking Nigeria to the World Cup, noted how much his players improved and got his vision after he was able to work with them for a longer period, and other managers should have felt the benefits too.
Not Ghana or Cape Verde, of course, who didn't quality, and not Tunisia, who parted ways with head coach Sami Trabelsi after a poor tournament, but the likes of Morocco, Senegal and Algeria can take confidence, while learning lessons, from what they achieved at the AFCON.
Egypt, who reached the semis but won few admirers with their dour style during the competition, may have to do some soul-searching if they're to do themselves justice later this year.
9. How damaged is the AFCON reputation?
The Nations Cup already had an image problem ahead of the 35th edition, with Jamie Carragher's high-profile comments about the competition not being a 'major tournament' appearing to encapsulate a current of sentiment that is unconvinced the tournament deserves the same standing as European or South American equivalents.
The events of the last weeks surely will have dented the tournament's reputation, with Senegal's walk-off, the penalty dispute, the sense of volatility and chaos, the supporter violence, the officiating, the towel fiasco, the alleged Moroccan shenanigans and manipulation, the press conference fracas after the final, and many other things, made it easy for the global media to characterise the tournament as mismanaged, unprofessional or frivolous.
Longer term, the drama, the impressive Moroccan organisation and infrastructure, the historical prestige, and the presence of footballing superstars should help sponsor confidence recover, particularly given the attendances and record viewership in some territories.
In France, broadcaster M6 said the final was watched by 3.4 million viewers - the highest figure for the tournament in 18 years, with CAF announcing record European broadcast partnerships ahead of the tournament.
Expect the 'not a major tournament' accusations to persist, or even intensify, but new supporters will have also been drawn to African football due to the spectacle of the last month.
10. What does the future look like for the AFCON and the African Nations League?
However, despite the excitement on the field, the future of the tournament - and of African football - appears decidedly uncertain following two press conferences with CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe that bookended the competition.
Across many, many hours of presidential discourse, his plans for the newly announced Nations League appear vague - with enthusiasm notably muted among media and supporters - with limited information being revealed about the plans for the tournament or for its concrete benefit for African football.
Is there really an appetite for such a competition, and will the tournament - now being billed as an 'AFCON every year' - generate the revenue that Motsepe appears unswervingly confident it will?
"We have to listen to you in the media," Motsepe told ESPN ahead of the final, "but whether we agree or disagree, it's irrelevant.
"What we need to do is to make the African Nations League, as a minimum, as exciting and better, and even more exiting, than the AFCON."
Then there's the question of reducing the AFCON frequency to be every four years rather than every two years; perhaps it will (somehow) make sense financially - although this relies on the Nations League being the golden goose that the African Super League was promised to be (and ultimately wasn't) before it - although either way, it attacks the culture, the spirit and the tradition of the continent's football showpiece, stretching back to the late 50s.
At the best, we're entering into uncertain and chartered territory, although it appears more likely that decisions are not being taken with the best interests of the continent's sport at heart.
The role and influence of FIFA in such massive moves being made seemingly without full formal and due process being followed ought to raise concerns and queries about CAF's priorities and autonomy.