CAF Champions League: AS FAR protest referee appointment ahead of Mamelodi Sundowns first leg final clash

AS FAR have formally written to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) expressing strong concerns over the appointment of Jean-Jacques Ndala to officiate the first leg of the CAF Champions League final against Mamelodi Sundowns in Pretoria on May 17.

As revealed by AfricaSoccer.com on Sunday, Ndala has been appointed to officiate the first leg of the Champions League.

However, the Moroccan club is demanding an immediate reversal of the decision and has made clear it does not want the Congolese referee to take charge of the high-profile encounter.

The development adds another layer of controversy to an already tense build-up to the final, which pits two of Africa’s in-form clubs against each other.

CAF had initially named Egyptian referee Amin Mohamed Omar for the first leg, but that decision was later overturned following objections from Mamelodi Sundowns, who raised concerns over perceived regional ties with AS FAR.

In response, CAF turned to Ndala as a replacement—only for AS FAR to now register their dissatisfaction with the new appointment.

In their complaint, AS FAR cite lingering concerns over Ndala’s handling of the Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal, alleging that he failed to caution Senegal players during a disputed incident in which they were instructed to leave the pitch by their coach.

The club also point to his absence from FIFA’s list of referees selected for the most recent World Cup, suggesting it raises questions about his suitability for a fixture of such magnitude.

CAF has yet to publicly respond to AS FAR’s latest objections, but the situation underscores growing unease on both sides ahead of the first leg in Pretoria.

With referee appointments now becoming a central talking point, attention is shifting away from football matters onto governance decisions—heightening tensions before a ball has even been kicked in the final.