Tension Rises As CAF Names Two Match Officials For Crucial AFCON 2025 Semi-Finals

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has withdrawn two match officials from further participation at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco as the tournament approaches its decisive stages.

CAF confirmed that Mali’s Boubou Traoré and Cameroon’s Abdou Abdel Mefire will not officiate any additional matches for the remainder of the competition, although no official explanation was given for the decision.

The development is generally regarded as a routine downsizing of referees as the tournament progresses and the number of matches reduces. With only the semi-finals, third-place playoff and final remaining, fewer officials are required.

The referees retained for the final phase of AFCON 2025 include Mustapha Ghorbal, Pacifique Ndabihawenimana, Jean Ndala, Amin Omar, Pierre Atcho, Peter Waweru, Dahane Beida, Jalal Jayed, Samuel Uwikunda, Issa Sy, Omar Artan, Abongile Tom, Mahmoud Ismail and Mehrez Melki.

CAF upgrades technical analysis at AFCON 2025

Beyond officiating matters, CAF has also introduced a major transformation in how matches are technically analysed at AFCON 2025. The tournament’s Technical Study Group (TSG) is now operating under a modernised framework that places technology, collaboration and data-driven insights at the core of its operations.

For the first time in AFCON history, CAF deployed a fully integrated remote analysis system during the group stage. The setup combines live data platforms, multi-angle video feeds and dedicated video analysts, enabling more comprehensive and consistent technical evaluations.

According to the head of the Technical Study Group, Belhassen Malouche, the shift was necessary to align African football with global best practices.

“Football is evolving, and so is the technology used to analyse it,” Malouche said. “If the game is improving, we must also improve the way we study and understand it. This change allows us to operate at the same level as top international competitions.”

He noted that in past AFCON editions, TSG members often worked independently at match venues, relying on manual reporting with limited collaboration.

“In many cases, we were still working the same way we did two decades ago,” Malouche explained. “Each expert observed matches alone, prepared reports individually and had little interaction with others.”

At AFCON 2025 in Morocco, CAF reorganised the Technical Study Group into four teams, each consisting of two technical experts and one video analyst. Each team is assigned a match, prepares a detailed report the following day, and then moves on to the next fixture.

Daily coordination meetings allow the teams to share findings, compare tactical trends and gain a broader understanding of developments across the tournament.

“We now have genuine collaboration,” Malouche said. “The discussions are far more productive, covering tactics, patterns and logistics. We are no longer limited to what happens in one stadium — we have a clear picture of the entire competition.”