Comprehensive changes to CAF regulations

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Sunday the implementation of comprehensive changes and improvements to its statutes and regulations, aimed at strengthening confidence in referees, Video Assistant Referee (VAR) officials, and its judicial bodies. These steps are intended to ensure that the events witnessed during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final in Morocco, which are currently under review by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), are not repeated. In a statement on its official website, CAF affirmed its commitment to restoring the respect and admiration earned by referees and VAR officials during the 2023 edition in Ivory Coast. The statement emphasized CAF's continued practice of appointing the best and most respected African judges and lawyers to its Disciplinary and Appeals Committees. These legal professionals are selected by the Executive Committee and the General Assembly based on nominations from the 54 national associations and regional federations, with the independence and impartiality of the judicial bodies being paramount. CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe stated, "CAF is currently working on implementing far-reaching improvements to ensure that the unacceptable events that occurred in the Morocco 2025 final are never repeated. We have engaged extensive legal advice from leading international experts and lawyers to ensure our regulations comply with global best practices in football." Motsepe added that the Confederation is working with FIFA to continue training referees and match officials to bring them up to world-class standards, with a focus on refereeing professionalism and ensuring they receive fair compensation. He also emphasized CAF's "zero tolerance" policy towards corruption or misconduct, which has positively impacted the attraction of numerous sponsors and partners over the past five years. The CAF President affirmed that the commitment to treating all member associations fairly and equally is non-negotiable, and no preferential treatment will be granted to any association at the expense of another under any circumstances. He concluded his remarks by noting that the current focus is on the success of the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup competitions, as well as supporting the African teams participating in the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, expressing his confidence in their ability to do the continent proud. The Senegalese Football Federation has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against a surprising decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title, which they won in a chaotic final in January, and award it to the host nation, Morocco, on the grounds that Senegal violated regulations by withdrawing from the field.