CAF President Patrice Motsepe during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations AFCON CAF President Press Conference at Main Media Centre in Rabat, Morocco on 17 January 2026 ©Weam Mostafa/BackpagePix
Saturday Jan 31, 2026. 11:00
Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Dr Patrice Motsepe has spoken out following the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the disciplinary judgements that followed the tournament’s final, reaffirming his commitment to uphold and further the integrity, competitiveness and reputation of African football.
In the statement released on Friday, the President reaffirmed the CAF Executive Committee’s (EXCO) determination to “maintain and advance the integrity, reputation and global competitiveness of African Football and CAF Competitions.”
This comes after both Morocco, Senegal and Algeria were sanctioned for “bringing the game into disrepute” during the continental showpiece.
Motsepe made no secret of his displeasure at the antics that unfolded in the 2025 AFCON final and reaffirmed his support for the organisation’s judicial bodies. He announced a meeting of the CAF EXCO to review the organisation’s regulations and ensure that they could impose necessary sanctions for the violations of the governing body’s laws and statutes.
“I was extremely disappointed with the unacceptable incidences that took place at the Finals of the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025.
“I have called a meeting of the CAF Executive Committee (EXCO), which is the highest decision-making body in CAF, outside the CAF Annual Ordinary General Assembly; to review the CAF Regulations, including the CAF Disciplinary Code, to ensure that the CAF Judicial Bodies have the power to impose appropriate and dissuasive sanctions for serious violations of the CAF 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 CAF Competitions.”
The President emphasised the work that has been done to significantly improve the standard of refereeing in continental competitions and reaffirmed the organisation’s financial commitment to continue this development.
“We have, over the past few years, significantly improved the quality, integrity, independence, skills and expertise of African referees, VAR operators and match commissioners. We are determined to allocate additional financial and expert technical resources to ensure that the quality, integrity, impartiality, skills and expertise of African referees, VAR operators and match commissioners, are as good as the best in the world.
He also emphasised the impartiality of the CAF Referees Committee as an independent body, calling for more respect to be given to referees, VAR officials and match commissioners.
Despite the turmoil that has engulfed the world of African football following the recent AFCON, Motsepe ensured that the new measures and changes to be implemented would ensure continued respect for CAF competitions.
By Nic Gleeson