The executive committee of the Confederation of African Football met on Friday in what several media sources described as a particularly tense atmosphere. At the center of discussions were the aftermath of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 in Morocco, controversies surrounding the final match, and the disciplinary sanctions that followed.
The session, chaired by CAF president Patrice Motsepe, reportedly featured repeated interventions from committee members criticizing the institution’s recent management and decision-making processes.
The absence of Moroccan federation president Fouzi Lekjaa and CAF secretary general Veron Mosengo-Omba further fueled debate during an already sensitive meeting. According to reports, their absence became a discussion point for several participants concerned about transparency and accountability.
Although the meeting lasted several hours, a large portion of the agenda was reportedly dominated by the evaluation of the tournament, leaving limited room for other governance matters. Some members expressed frustration over what they viewed as insufficient discussion of internal structural and administrative issues.
Sources indicate that multiple officials called for structural adjustments within the general secretariat, arguing that the current period requires deep institutional reforms. Criticism also reportedly targeted decisions taken outside formal meeting frameworks.
In that context, potential successors for the secretary general role were mentioned, including Samson Adamu and Gelson Fernandes, suggesting that leadership changes may be under consideration.
Refereeing standards during the tournament were another major point of concern. Several committee members reportedly denounced officiating errors and called for a restructuring of the referees’ commission. The head of the commission is said to have acknowledged organizational and technical shortcomings, while also indicating that certain referee appointments were not directly under his authority — a statement that triggered strong reactions in the room.
The meeting also featured an intervention from Samuel Eto'o, who challenged his four-match suspension and described the sanction as unjustified.
With tensions escalating and exchanges multiplying, President Motsepe reportedly decided to end the session before all scheduled agenda items could be reviewed, highlighting the depth of internal disagreements currently facing African football’s governing body.
En conférence de presse, le président de la CAF a toutefois assuré que le Kenya, la Tanzanie et l’Ouganda sont prêts à organiser la CAN 2027, écartant toute hypothèse de report. Il a également évoqué la possibilité d’élargir à l’avenir le nombre de sélections participantes à 28 équipes.
Cette réunion, loin d’apaiser les débats, semble avoir mis en lumière des fractures internes et relancé les discussions sur la gouvernance du football africain.
