CAF Sacks Referees Chief After Morocco’s Protest Over WAFCON Final Loss to Nigeria

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has sacked its director of refereeing, Désiré Noumandiez Doué, following a formal protest lodged by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) over the officiating in the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final, where Nigeria staged a stunning comeback to defeat host nation Morocco 3–2.

Morocco, playing in front of a home crowd in Rabat, took a commanding 2–0 lead in the first half with goals from captain Ghizlane Chebbak in the 12th minute and Sanaâ Mssoudy in the 24th. But the Super Falcons responded fiercely, with Esther Okoronkwo pulling one back from the penalty spot in the 64th minute, Folashade Ijamilusi levelling the score in the 71st, and substitute Jennifer Echegini scoring the dramatic winner in the 88th.

The FRMF’s protest centred on two key penalty decisions that sparked controversy. Moroccan officials submitted video evidence to CAF, arguing that a potential penalty in their favour was wrongly overturned, while Nigeria’s awarded penalty was, in their view, soft and questionable. Although Doué did not officiate the match himself, he was ultimately responsible for assigning referees and ensuring officiating quality. The final was officiated by Namibia’s Antsino Twanyanyukwa, with assistants from Rwanda and Senegal, and Salima Mukansanga overseeing the VAR.

Morocco’s head coach Jorge Vilda voiced his frustration in an interview with ESPN, stating that video replays showed clear contact that warranted a penalty. He said the reversal of that decision had a psychological impact on his team and significantly altered the match’s momentum.

The fallout from the final has intensified scrutiny of CAF’s officiating standards, leading to Doué’s dismissal as tensions flare in the wake of Nigeria’s record-extending tenth WAFCON title.