The Confederation of African Football has announced a new set of regulations after the controversy that marred the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final in Morocco.
Speaking on Tuesday, CAF president Patrice Motsepe acknowledged that shortcomings in officiating and match management contributed to the disorderly conclusion of the tournament final.
The final in Rabat initially ended with Senegal national football team being crowned champions after a 1-0 extra-time victory. However, the result was later overturned by a CAF appeal board, which awarded the title to Morocco national football team following disciplinary decisions tied to Senegal’s protest walk-off after a controversial late VAR penalty ruling.
The match generated intense criticism due to security incidents inside the stadium and allegations of unsporting conduct, including the widely discussed “towelgate” controversy involving Senegal’s goalkeeper and ball boys.
In an interview with BBC Sport Africa, Motsepe revealed that CAF had conducted an internal assessment of the events surrounding the final.
“We have made significant progress in strengthening confidence in our referees and VAR system,” he stated.
“However, certain shortcomings were identified, and these contributed to the unfortunate incidents witnessed in Morocco.
“We have now introduced new laws and regulations to ensure such situations do not happen again.”
Motsepe also stressed that CAF remains committed to improving officiating quality and ensuring consistency in the use of VAR across African football competitions.
“African football must continue to be measured by the highest standards of fairness and integrity,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Senegalese Football Federation has described the decision as a “robbery” and has reportedly taken the matter before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, where a final ruling is still being awaited.
Motsepe said CAF would respect and implement whatever decision emerges from the arbitration process.
According to CAF, the newly introduced measures are aimed at improving VAR administration, strengthening stadium security coordination, and establishing clearer disciplinary procedures to avoid a repeat of the chaos witnessed during the AFCON final.