CAF is considering the appointment of foreign referees for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco as part of a sweeping overhaul of its refereeing structure.
The initiative follows the dismissal of Ivorian Noumandiez Désiré Doué, who was serving as the director of the Referees’ Committee. His removal signals the beginning of what CAF hopes will be a broad reform aimed at restoring confidence in the integrity and professionalism of officiating at the continent’s premier football competition.
A new director is expected to be appointed once the CAF Executive Committee convenes in the coming days to ratify the change.
In addition to the leadership shake-up, the confederation is also considering deeper structural reorganisations, particularly targeting the central and western regions of Africa.
These regions have been the focus of recent criticism over officiating standards, and CAF is reportedly determined to restore credibility to its refereeing ranks before the tournament kicks off in December.
However, the most striking development under consideration is the potential deployment of foreign referees—particularly from Europe and South America—during the tournament in Morocco. While this proposal is still at the exploratory stage, it is gaining traction within CAF as a serious option.
According to sources close to the organisation, several African football federations have expressed growing dissatisfaction over what they perceive as persistent officiating blunders in recent continental tournaments.
These complaints have led to mounting pressure on CAF to seek external solutions in order to avoid controversial decisions that could mar the 2025 edition of the competition.
While CAF has not yet made a formal decision on the use of foreign officials, insiders suggest that the idea is no longer a mere suggestion but a subject of active planning.
Should the plan be implemented, it would mark a historic shift for the African football body, which has traditionally relied on homegrown referees for its major competitions.
The discussions around the introduction of international referees also reflect broader concerns about the state of officiating in Africa. Critics have argued that despite ongoing training programmes and technological improvements such as VAR, inconsistencies and controversial decisions have continued to plague high-stakes matches across the continent.
By bringing in foreign officials with extensive experience at the highest levels of international football, CAF hopes to set new standards of professionalism and neutral officiating for the 2025 AFCON.
This could, in turn, bolster the tournament’s credibility and improve the overall experience for players, coaches, and fans alike.
CAF has not specified which countries or referee federations could be approached for assistance, nor has it outlined how foreign referees would be integrated into a tournament historically run by African officials.
However, the very prospect of their inclusion has already sparked debate within African football circles, with some welcoming the proposal as a necessary measure, while others view it as an indictment of the continent’s own officiating resources.
The 2025 AFCON in Morocco is expected to attract widespread global attention, and CAF is clearly intent on ensuring that officiating does not become a talking point for the wrong reasons.
Whether the introduction of foreign referees becomes a reality remains to be seen, but the conversation alone marks a significant turning point in the way African football governance is approaching transparency and performance.
