FIFA sanctions referee after Senegal Morocco can controversy

The FIFA has imposed a stern penalty on referee Jean-Jacques Ndala following the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) final between Senegal and Morocco on January 19. The decision comes after the African Football Confederation (CAF) controversially stripped Senegal of its title due to incidents during the match.

Unlike the CAF, which retained its confidence in Ndala by assigning him to major African competitions such as the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup, FIFA took a firm stance. The world governing body excluded him from officiating at this summer’s FIFA World Cup, signaling a sharp contrast in disciplinary standards between the two football bodies.

Seven African referees selected for the World Cup despite the controversy

The FIFA referees committee ultimately selected seven African match officials for the upcoming World Cup, all of whom participated in the recent CAN. The roster includes Jalal Jayed from Morocco, Mustapha Ghorbal from Algeria, Pierre Atcho from Gabon, Dahane Beida from Mauritania, Tom Abongile from South Africa, Amin Mohamed from Egypt, and Omar Artan from Somalia.

Controversial decisions and alleged instructions in the Senegal vs Morocco final

Ndala’s omission from the World Cup list was not entirely unexpected. His performance in the CAN final drew widespread criticism, with many analysts questioning his judgment and inaction during critical moments of the match. According to Olivier Safari, Chair of the CAF Referees Committee, FIFA had issued instructions to Ndala during a match interruption. These instructions reportedly prevented the referee from issuing yellow cards to Senegal players who had already received warnings, which would have led to their expulsion upon their return to the pitch—“to preserve the game”, as Safari explained during a February 13 executive meeting in Dar es Salaam.