AFCON 2025: Controversy and Chaos Rock CAF Referees Committee

AFCON 2025: Controversy and Chaos Rock CAF Referees Committee

Sampson Adedeji

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Referees Committee has been plunged into crisis following a series of controversial officiating decisions at the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The controversy intensified after the conclusion of the third and final round of group-stage matches, with particular focus on a disputed incident during the Group A clash between Mali and Comoros played last Monday. 

According to reports by Winwin, the incident sparked heated technical discussions within the CAF Referees Committee, triggering emergency deliberations at CAF headquarters.

During the match, Chadian referee Mohamed El Hadj Ali sent off Mali midfielder Amadou Haidara who plays for German Bundesliga side RB Leipzig after being advised to review the incident by Egyptian VAR official Mahmoud Ashour. 

The decision immediately drew widespread criticism.

Following a detailed review, the CAF Referees Committee confirmed that the red card decision was incorrect. 

The committee revealed that a vote was conducted among its members and match officials, all of whom agreed that the VAR intervention was unjustified and that the on-field decision constituted a serious refereeing error.

Both the match referee and the VAR official reportedly issued apologies during a subsequent technical meeting, acknowledging their mistake. 

However, the fallout remains significant, as Haidara now faces a two-match suspension and is set to miss Mali’s Round of 16 encounter against Tunisia scheduled for next Saturday.

CAF officials are particularly concerned that the error could have a direct impact on the tournament’s knockout phase. 

The Referees Committee has reiterated that it continues to hold regular technical meetings with match officials throughout the competition, aimed at correcting errors and minimizing their recurrence, especially as the tournament enters its decisive stages.

The knockout phase of AFCON 2025 is set to begin on Saturday amid growing scrutiny of refereeing standards across the competition.