AFCON 2025: CAF Referees Boss Makes Stunning Revelation on What DR Congo Official Did During Final
- CAF’s Head of Referees has revealed that Senegalese players were not warned after leaving the pitch during the AFCON 2025 final
- Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 after extra time, but the match was heavily disrupted by controversy over refereeing decisions
- The revelations could spark calls for reforms in CAF’s refereeing system and renew tensions between federations
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New details about refereeing at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final have emerged, raising fresh questions about the handling of the Senegal versus Morocco clash.
The final, which ended 1-0 in favour of Senegal after extra time, was already clouded by controversial decisions and the temporary exit of several Senegalese players from the field.
Source: Getty Images
Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala came under intense scrutiny for his handling of the AFCON final after the Senegalese players staged a walkout in protest after he awarded a controversial penalty to Morocco in the final.
At a recent CAF executive committee meeting in Dar es Salaam, Olivier Safari, chairman of the referees’ committee, reportedly confirmed that match officials had been given special instructions not to sanction the Senegal players, GOAL reports.
These directives concerned the Senegalese players who had left the pitch, intending to preserve the match and prevent an early abandonment.
"Each Senegalese player who left the field should have been warned immediately upon returning, but we gave instructions not to do so, in order to preserve the match and avoid ending it prematurely."
Disciplinary actions and ongoing tensions
The AFCON final had already triggered a series of sanctions from CAF.
The Senegalese Football Federation was fined over $600,000, while coach Pape Thiaw faced a suspension.
Players including Illiman Ndiaye and Ismaïla Sarr were also sanctioned for leaving the pitch during the disruption.
Morocco, the runner-up, had contested some of these penalties, and the new revelations about referee instructions could reignite disputes between the federations.
Observers and officials are now calling for greater transparency and accountability in refereeing, arguing that the handling of the final may have compromised the integrity of the match and the tournament as a whole.
Calls for reform and future implications
The disclosure from CAF’s referees’ chief has put the spotlight back on the organisation’s officiating standards.
Source: Getty Images
According to RMC Sport, several committee members reportedly suggested reforms to avoid similar controversies in future editions of the Africa Cup of Nations.
With the tournament already under scrutiny for disciplinary issues and on-field tensions, the revelation that referees were instructed to overlook procedural rules has fueled debates about fairness and governance in African football.
CAF will now need to clarify the circumstances surrounding the refereeing decisions to restore confidence in its competitions and prevent diplomatic and sporting disputes from escalating further.
As AFCON continues to grow in prestige, the outcome of these revelations could shape how referees are instructed, monitored, and held accountable in major African tournaments moving forward.
Senegal reacts to multiple CAF sanctions
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) broke its silence with an official statement confirming it would not challenge the CAF ruling after receiving heavy sanctions.
The FSF, via its official website, said it had “taken note of the decision” of CAF’s Disciplinary Board and had chosen not to appeal the sporting or financial sanctions imposed on it.
Source: Legit.ng
