CAF referees’ committee president Olivier Safari has acknowledged serious officiating concerns from the AFCON 2025final, admitting Senegal’s entire team could have faced disciplinary sanctions.
Safari told members of the Confederation of African Football Executive Committee that Senegal players should have been punished after returning to the pitch during the troubled final.
“If it had been my decision, I would have expelled them all immediately,” Safari said, while conceding that, at minimum, every player should have received a warning.
The remarks surfaced during internal CAF discussions reviewing widespread refereeing controversies that plagued the tournament in Morocco, with officials reportedly questioning the competence of the referees’ committee and suggesting leadership changes.
Safari also admitted he was unfamiliar with many of the referees appointed for the competition, an admission likely to intensify concerns over referee management and selection procedures.
The latest developments underline the scale of officiating problems at AFCON 2025 and increase pressure on CAF to implement urgent reforms to restore confidence in refereeing across African football.
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