I am committed to improve officiating in African football – CAF president Patrice Motsepe

CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe has acknowledged persistent concerns over refereeing in African football, describing long-standing suspicion and mistrust around match officials as a major challenge the Confederation continues to confront.

Speaking on the state of officiating on the continent while addressing the media following an official visit to North Africa on Thursday, Motsepe said efforts have been made in collaboration with FIFA to professionalise refereeing and elevate standards to a world-class level, but warned that progress in key areas appears to have slowed.

“Since I became CAF President, one issue that has always concerned me is the suspicion and distrust surrounding referees which is an old challenge in our game. CAF, in partnership with FIFA, has done a lot of work to professionalize African referees, improving their standards and helping them reach world-class levels,” he said.

He explained that joint initiatives between the Confederation of African Football and FIFA had previously helped improve training, assessment, and overall standards for match officials across the continent.

However, Motsepe revealed his surprise at indications that some of those gains had not been sustained consistently, suggesting gaps in oversight and communication at the highest levels of football governance.

“But I was shocked to discover that some of this progress had stalled without my knowledge. Even when I asked the FIFA President, he wasn’t aware of it.”

He stressed that the situation highlights the need for renewed coordination and stricter monitoring to ensure that refereeing development in Africa does not lose momentum.

This shows there’s still work to do to ensure refereeing in Africa maintains the highest standards.”