The Confederation of African Football has heard an admission from its refereeing leadership that match officials were instructed not to penalise players during the chaotic 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, a decision that could have altered the outcome involving Senegal national football team and Morocco national football team.
CAF’s executive committee met in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for the first time since the final, where refereeing and disciplinary decisions dominated discussions.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe expressed dissatisfaction with the sanctions handed down after the match and signalled possible tightening of the disciplinary code.
“Extremely disappointed by what happened ,” President Patrice Motsepe said, also criticising the refereeing performance.
His remarks prompted a response from the chairman of the referees committee, Olivier Safari Kabene, who revealed instructions had been given to ensure the game continued.
According to his statement, officials chose not to apply regulations after Senegalese players temporarily left the pitch.
Under the rules, their withdrawal could have led to the match being halted, potentially awarding Morocco victory by default.
Instead, referees were told not to caution the players when they returned, despite some already being booked.
“All Senegalese players who left the field should have been warned immediately upon their return, but we gave instructions not to do so in order to preserve the match and avoid its being abandoned before the end of regulation time.”
The admission has triggered strong reaction, particularly in Morocco, because a strict application of the rules could have left Senegal at a numerical disadvantage.
🚨 SCANDALEUX !!!
“Il fallait avertir chaque joueur sénégalais qui était retourné sur le terrain, mais on a donné des instructions de ne pas le faire afin d’éviter la fin du match avant la fin du temps réglementaire”
Olivier Safari Kabene, directeur de la commission des… pic.twitter.com/ANo8y8bPdr
— Ali KETTANI 𝕏 (@Alikettanii) February 13, 2026
Two players — Ismaïla Sarr and El Hadji Malick Diouf — had already received yellow cards and risked dismissal had further sanctions been issued.
CAF officials gathered to review the incidents and future disciplinary procedures, with the governing body indicating that changes may follow.
The meeting marked the organisation’s first formal discussion of the final since the controversy, as football authorities consider how refereeing protocol should be applied in similar situations.
