AFCON 2025: CAF Drops More Referees in Officiating Review
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has dropped more referees from AFCON 2025 as part of its ongoing officiating review.
Two officials have been removed from the list and will not handle any further matches at the tournament in Morocco.
Malian referee Boubou Traoré has been withdrawn and will take no further part in officiating AFCON 2025 games.
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Cameroonian official Abdou Abdel Mefire has also been dropped and is no longer expected to officiate for the rest of the competition.
Also read: AFCON 2025: Referees’ Disputes Rock CAF Ahead of Quarter-Final Matches
CAF has not explained the specific reasons for the decisions. However, the move is believed to be part of an internal performance assessment.
Refereeing standards have been under close watch throughout AFCON 2025. CAF has already reduced the number of match officials as part of its continuous evaluation process.
With the tournament now entering the semi-final stage, the latest action shows CAF’s determination to maintain consistency and professionalism.
The review aims to ensure that the final matches of AFCON 2025 are officiated to the highest possible standard.
Four blockbuster matches have been lined up for Friday and Saturday as the eight remaining teams battle to punch their tickets to the semi-finals. A sense of disquiet has, however, threatened to disrupt the tournament, with CAF yet to settle on the match officials who will oversee the games.
