AFCON 2025: CAF President Motsepe breaks silence on refereeing criticism

Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe has responded to widespread criticism surrounding refereeing decisions at the ongoing AFCON 2025 tournament in Morocco, assuring fans that integrity, impartiality, and accountability remain central to CAF’s officiating standards.

Motsepe’s remarks come amid growing dissatisfaction from supporters and football stakeholders over controversial referee and VAR decisions that have influenced several matches during the competition.

Speaking during a media interaction captured in a video shared by SABC Sport on X (formerly Twitter), Motsepe stressed that the opinions of football fans are taken seriously by CAF.

According to him, the perception of the “ordinary football supporter” is critical to the credibility of the game.

“What is important is what the ordinary football supporter and spectator thinks. There’s recognition amongst all of us that their opinion is critically important, and we are going to respect it,” Motsepe said.

Motsepe revealed that before the start of AFCON 2025, CAF held meetings with referees, VAR operators, and match commissioners to emphasise professionalism and neutrality.

He stated that officials were instructed to officiate matches with the highest levels of integrity and independence.

“I said to them, ‘You have to officiate every match at the highest level with integrity, impartiality, and independence," he explained.

AFCON 2025 has been marked by several contentious moments, including disputed penalties, questionable bookings, and debated offside calls, particularly in the knockout stages.

One of the most controversial fixtures was Nigeria’s semi-final clash with host nation Morocco, which ended in a goalless draw before Morocco advanced 4–2 on penalties. The match sparked outrage among Nigerian fans, who accused officials of bias and inconsistent decision-making.

Motsepe acknowledged such concerns, noting that CAF pays close attention to common fan reactions.

“Supporters ask questions like, ‘Was that not a penalty? Was it a red card? Was there no goal?’ We are intently and intensively attentive to these observations,” he said.