The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reduced its list of match officials as the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco heads into the knockout stage, Bold Sports reports.
As the group phase nears completion, CAF confirmed that several referees will no longer officiate matches in the latter stages of the tournament. The decision follows an extensive performance review conducted during the opening rounds.
Referees were evaluated on key areas including accuracy of decisions, consistency in applying the Laws of the Game, physical fitness, and overall control of matches. Officials who did not meet CAF’s required standards were excluded from further appointments.
CAF said only referees who delivered strong and consistent performances during the group stage will be assigned to matches from the round of 16 onward, stressing that high officiating standards are critical as the competition intensifies.
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The governing body also noted that trimming the number of match officials is standard practice at major international tournaments, as the number of games naturally decreases after the group phase.
With AFCON 2025 entering its decisive stages, CAF said the move is aimed at reducing errors, limiting controversy, and ensuring that attention remains on the football as teams battle for continental supremacy.
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