The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has sparked intense debate by assigning Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala to officiate the first leg of the CAF Champions League final between Morocco’s AS FAR and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns on May 17 in Pretoria. This decision has drawn sharp criticism, particularly from the Moroccan club, which questions the fairness of the arbitration process.
AS FAR challenges CAF’s arbitration decision
AS FAR has formally contested the appointment of Jean-Jacques Ndala, citing concerns over the perceived imbalance in referee nationalities between the two match legs. The Moroccan side highlights that the first leg will be overseen by a predominantly homogenous officiating team centered around Ndala, while the return match in Rabat on May 24 will feature a more diverse panel of referees. This disparity raises questions about the consistency and neutrality of the refereeing standards applied in this high-stakes encounter.
Ndala’s controversial track record under scrutiny
The Moroccan club has also pointed to Jean-Jacques Ndala’s recent officiating performance, particularly his handling of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, as a cause for concern. AS FAR argues that Ndala failed to enforce the tournament’s regulations properly during the contentious match, an allegation that led the Appeals Jury to award Morocco a forfeit victory based on articles 82 and 84 of the competition’s rules. With the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS) now involved following a Senegalese appeal, the CAF finds itself entangled in yet another refereeing controversy, further complicating the already tense football landscape in Africa.
