CAF announces reforms after chaotic AFCON final

African football’s governing body, Confederation of African Football (CAF), has unveiled a series of reforms following the fallout from a highly contested Africa Cup of Nations final that has shaken confidence in the organization.

Meeting in Cairo, CAF’s executive committee outlined “changes and improvements” to its statutes and regulations, aimed at strengthening transparency, governance and trust in officiating.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe acknowledged that perception remains a key challenge, particularly around refereeing decisions that dominated headlines after the final.

Patrice Motsepe, CAF President: “I can stand here and say we’ve got the best referees, they are independent, they’re impartial. But if the ordinary football spectators on the continent and elsewhere think they are not so impartial, it’s not good for African football.”

The controversy stems from CAF’s decision to strip Senegal of the title weeks after the final and award it to Morocco — a move that is now being challenged at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with both nations claiming victory.

Motsepe stressed the need to address not only structural weaknesses but also negative perceptions surrounding African football governance.

“We have to move away also from the perception that somehow our problems in Africa and our weaknesses in Africa are greater, bigger, more embarrassing, more extreme than the problems that happen in other parts of the world,” he added.

CAF says it is now working closely with FIFA to improve referee training and VAR standards, while also reviewing compensation to safeguard integrity.

The reforms mark a critical moment for CAF as it seeks to restore credibility and ensure future tournaments are free from the controversies that overshadowed this year’s final.