The Confederation of African Football, the body that oversees football across Africa, says it will strengthen the use of video technology and review its rules after what it described as unacceptable scenes at the final of the TotalEnergies Confederation of African Football Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, the continent’s biggest national team tournament, hosted in Morocco.
In remarks published on the Confederation of African Football website, its President, Dr Patrice Motsepe, said he and the organisation’s leadership were determined to protect the credibility of African football and keep its competitions respected worldwide.
Okay News reports that Motsepe said the Confederation of African Football Executive Committee, along with the presidents of the body’s member associations representing 54 African countries, shared the same commitment to defending the integrity, reputation, and global competitiveness of the sport on the continent.
He said he was “extremely disappointed” by what he called unacceptable incidents during the tournament’s final, which included a clash involving players from Senegal and Morocco.
Motsepe said he had noted the rulings issued by the organisation’s judicial structures and would comply with them.
“I have taken note of the decision of the Confederation of African Football Disciplinary Board which was announced on Wednesday, 28 January 2026, and I respect and will adhere to every decision of our Confederation of African Football Judicial Bodies,” he said.
He also confirmed that the Confederation of African Football Executive Committee, the organisation’s top decision-making body outside its Annual Ordinary General Assembly, would meet to consider changes to existing rules.
“I have called a meeting of the Confederation of African Football Executive Committee, which is the highest decision-making body in Confederation of African Football, outside the Confederation of African Football Annual Ordinary General Assembly, to review the Confederation of African Football Regulations, including the Confederation of African Football Disciplinary Code,” he said.
Motsepe explained that the goal of the review was to ensure the organisation’s judicial bodies have enough authority to apply sanctions that match serious offences and discourage future misconduct.
“To ensure that the Confederation of African Football Judicial Bodies have the power to impose appropriate and dissuasive sanctions for serious violations of the Confederation of African Football Statutes, Regulations, Disciplinary Code and for behaviour and conduct that seriously undermines or harms the reputation, integrity, respect and global competitiveness of African Football and Confederation of African Football Competitions,” he said.
Focus On Refereeing And Video Assistant Referee Standards
Motsepe also spoke about officiating, including the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, saying the organisation had made progress in recent years and planned further steps to improve standards across its competitions.
“We have, over the past few years, significantly improved the quality, integrity, independence, skills and expertise of African referees, Video Assistant Referee operators and match commissioners,” he said.
He added that the organisation would invest more money and technical support to raise performance levels.
“We are determined to allocate additional financial and expert technical resources to ensure that the quality, integrity, impartiality, skills and expertise of African referees, Video Assistant Referee operators and match commissioners, are as good as the best in the world,” Motsepe said.
Reflecting on changes made during his time in office, he said one early move was to reshape the Confederation of African Football Referees Committee to strengthen its independence and credibility.
“One of the first changes that I introduced when I became President of Confederation of African Football was to ensure that the Confederation of African Football Referees Committee is independent, impartial and consists of members who were proposed by the 54 Confederation of African Football Member Associations, as well as the best qualified and respected referees in Africa,” he said.
Motsepe said it was important that African officials are viewed internationally as neutral, fair, and at the highest standard.
“It is very important that African referees, Video Assistant Referee operators and match commissioners are perceived, respected and acknowledged as being impartial, fair and world class,” he said.
He concluded by expressing confidence that the new measures would strengthen African football’s standing.
“I am confident that with the additional changes and extensive measures that we are introducing, African Football and Confederation of African Football Competitions will continue to be respected, admired and amongst the best in the world,” he said.
