The Confederation of African Football has announced plans to implement significant changes to its statutes and regulations aimed at strengthening trust in referees, VAR officials, and judicial bodies, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe confirmed that the reforms are designed to prevent a recurrence of the controversies that marred the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
“CAF is currently implementing far-reaching changes and improvements to the CAF Statutes and Regulations, which will strengthen the trust and confidence in CAF referees, VAR operators, match commissioners, and in the CAF Disciplinary Board and Appeal Board,” Motsepe stated.
He added that the governing body has sought extensive legal input from leading African and international football experts to ensure its regulations align with global best practices, both on and off the pitch.
Motsepe also emphasized the need to improve the professionalism of match officials across the continent, including better training and remuneration, in collaboration with FIFA.
According to him, the reforms are part of CAF’s broader commitment to enhancing governance, transparency, and integrity within African football, while maintaining a zero-tolerance stance on corruption and improper conduct.