CAF president defends appointment of Jean-Jacques Ndala for Champions League first leg final amid club concerns

Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe has defended the appointment of referee Jean-Jacques Ndala for the first leg of the CAF Champions League final, insisting that the decision was made independently despite concerns raised by both participating clubs.

Ndala, who officiated the Africa Cup of Nations final in Morocco, has been selected to take charge of Sunday’s high-profile showdown between South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns and Moroccan side AS FAR.

His appointment has sparked fresh debate, with both clubs reportedly voicing reservations.

Even as CAF continues efforts to manage scrutiny over its officiating standards, Motsepe stressed that the governing body does not interfere in referee selection.

“After the [Afcon] final in Morocco, the chairman of the referees committee came to the executive committee, and they gave a thorough report of his (Ndala’s) performance, and they assessed how he refereed the match in accordance with the global best practises of refereeing,” Motsepe explained.

He underlined the autonomy of the refereeing structure within CAF, adding that decisions are made without executive influence.

“The referee’s committee is independent. We don’t get involved and should not get involved in identifying who should ref at which match.”

Motsepe acknowledged that both finalists had expressed concerns over the appointment but insisted that CAF must respect the process.

“I’ve been told that both the football clubs have expressed their reservations, but we have to respect the decisions that are taken by this independent body.”

The CAF president also used the moment to highlight ongoing efforts to improve officiating standards across the continent, arguing that African referees are capable of operating at the highest level.

“The very specific thing is to continue training our referees. Some of our referees are as good as the best in the world.”