Refereeing in Africa: CAF announces a series of reforms

Africa 29 March 2026 at 08:45

Joshua SOSSOU

News Editor

On Sunday, CAF released a comprehensive statement announcing a series of reforms aimed at strengthening the credibility of refereeing and its disciplinary bodies, with the goal of preventing a repeat of the incidents that occurred during the 2025 AFCON final.

In its statement, CAF aims to “restore trust and credibility in African referees, VAR operators, as well as the organization’s judicial bodies, notably the Disciplinary Jury and the Appeals Committee.”

The statement also emphasizes building on the successful organization of AFCON 2023 for the future. “CAF recalls that the performances of referees and VAR operators during the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Côte d’Ivoire 2023 were widely praised both on the continent and internationally for their quality. The institution is determined to restore this level of respect and recognition,” the statement reads.