AFCON Referees Remain Secret: CAF Keeps Quarterfinal Call-Ups Under Wraps

AFCON Referee Secrecy Ahead of the Quarterfinals

Kooora reports that the African governing body's refereeing committee held a meeting, stressing secrecy over the selection of quarterfinal referees for AFCON matches.

Sources close to Kooora said only the South African Tom Abu-Ngil was chosen to oversee Senegal–Mali match.

Secrecy surrounds the identities of referees for Morocco-Cameroon, Egypt-Ivory Coast, and Algeria-Nigeria in the quarterfinal stage.

Sources said tension at CAF referees committee meeting was high, as each side rejected a referee from another country altogether.

Officials said referees would be notified of quarterfinal roles by an email.

Sources explained that what is happening is a big farce that piles more tension and worry before the quarterfinals, reflecting the chaos inside CAF, with some parties, including Morocco, previously lobbying for European referees in a Cup style, a proposal rejected.

Punchline 1: The whistle is undercover—top secret, even to the goalposts.

Punchline 2: If secrecy were a sport, CAF would be leading the league in hide-and-seek.