Controversy continues to surround the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations a few hours before the quarterfinals games, with several countries raising concerns about the appointment of certain referees for their matches.
Mali is the latest country to lodge an official complaint after Morocco, protesting against the appointment of a Senegalese match assessor for their quarter-final showdown against the Taranga Lions.
The decision to assign an official from Senegal to oversee the refereeing of a knockout match involving the Taranga Lions has sparked serious concerns within the Malian camp.
Under existing FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF) regulations, match officials—including referees and assessors—are generally barred from officiating or supervising fixtures involving their own country, a rule designed to protect fairness and neutrality in major competitions.
Despite the growing debate, CAF has yet to release an official statement addressing Mali’s protest or clarifying the status of the appointment.
The quarter-final encounter is scheduled to take place later today at the Stade Ibn Batouta Stadium, with both Mali and Senegal battling for a place in the AFCON 2025 semi-finals.
Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has adhered to Morocco’s complaint, making a late change to the officiating officials for the high-stake quarterfinals clash between Morocco and Cameroon.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) had lodged a formal complaint about the officials for the much-anticipated quarterfinals clash scheduled for Friday, January 9, 2026 at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
Egyptian referee Amin Omar was initially appointed to oversee the fixture. However, CAF has now replaced him with experienced Mauritanian official Dahane Beida after reviewing concerns raised by the Moroccan FA.
The late intervention has not gone down well with all parties. The Cameroonian Football Federation is reportedly unhappy with the development and has signaled its intention to file an appeal, further fueling tension ahead of the heavyweight encounter.
