President of the Confederation of African Football Patrice Motsepe. Photo: File
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced sweeping reforms to its statutes and regulations following controversy surrounding the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Final, a match that ultimately saw Senegal stripped of its Africa Cup of Nations title.
In a media briefing on Sunday after its executive committee meeting, CAF said it is implementing “far-reaching changes and improvements” aimed at restoring trust in its refereeing structures, including match officials, VAR operators and judicial bodies. The move comes in response to incidents during the AFCON final that raised serious concerns about officiating standards and decision-making processes.
“CAF is implementing changes and improvements to the CAF Statutes and Regulations that will strengthen the trust and confidence in CAF referees, VAR operators and judicial bodies,” the organisation said in a statement. It added that the reforms are specifically designed to ensure that “the incidents that took place at the final match… do not happen again.”
The governing body acknowledged that while refereeing performances at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations were widely praised, the events in Morocco marked a setback. CAF now aims to restore the credibility and admiration that African officiating had begun to earn on the continental and global stage.
Central to the reforms is a renewed emphasis on the independence and integrity of CAF’s judicial structures. The organisation confirmed it will continue appointing highly respected African judges and legal experts to its disciplinary and appeal boards. These individuals are selected through a process involving CAF’s executive committee and general assembly, based on nominations from its 54 member associations and zonal unions.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe said the changes are being guided by both African and international legal expertise to ensure alignment with global football standards. “These changes will strengthen the trust and confidence in CAF referees, VAR operators, match commissioners and judicial bodies,” Motsepe said. “They will also ensure that the unacceptable incidences that took place… do not happen again.”
Motsepe added that CAF is working closely with FIFA to enhance the training of referees and VAR officials across the continent. He stressed the importance of professionalising these roles, including improving remuneration, to ensure African officials can compete with the best in the world.
The reforms also form part of a broader governance drive within CAF, which Motsepe said has made “significant progress” over the past five years. He reaffirmed the organisation’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption and improper conduct, noting that these efforts have helped attract new sponsors and partners.
Equally important, Motsepe emphasised CAF’s commitment to fairness among its member associations. “Under no circumstances will any member association be treated preferentially,” he said, underscoring the body’s intention to apply its rules consistently across the continent.
While the fallout from the AFCON final remains unresolved and with aspects of the matter now before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, CAF says its immediate focus is on stabilising and strengthening its competitions. These include the ongoing CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup, as well as supporting African teams preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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