Morocco’s hosting of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations has drawn praise for its organisation and infrastructure, but behind the scenes the tournament has exposed deep divisions within African football, with refereeing and governance disputes spilling into senior CAF meetings.

The 35th edition of the competition was widely commended for its modern stadiums and smooth logistics, particularly in host cities such as Tangier. Yet, as the dust settled on the pitch, tensions flared off it, revealing what several officials have described as an unusually strained atmosphere inside the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

According to reports by DS Sports, later corroborated by investigative journalist Romain Molina, relations deteriorated sharply during a CAF Executive Committee meeting on Friday, 16 January. Concerns were reportedly raised by the president of the Nigerian Football Federation, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, over alleged irregularities following the semi-final between Morocco and Nigeria.

The response attributed to Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Moroccan Football Federation and a powerful figure within CAF, raised eyebrows. “You are not grateful for what I have done for you,” he is reported to have said a remark that some officials interpreted as suggesting that Morocco’s financial and logistical contributions to African football should shield it from criticism.

The exchange came after a tournament marked by a series of controversial refereeing decisions. Several incidents fuelled frustration among participating nations, including a disputed penalty awarded to Brahim Diaz against Comoros, a handball decision against Mali that contrasted with a similar incident involving Sofyan Amrabat, and a penalty appeal denied to Tanzania in the round of 16.

Questions were also raised about the appointment and late confirmation of match officials. During Morocco’s game against Cameroon, referees were reportedly named so late that the Cameroonian federation was unable to lodge a formal protest. That situation drew a public reaction from Cameroon FA president Samuel Eto’o, who voiced his anger at the handling of the matter.

The final against Senegal further intensified the debate. Senegalese officials pointed to several contentious moments, including a heavy challenge on Nicolas Jackson that went unpunished and a goal by Ismaïla Sarr that was disallowed. A late penalty, awarded after a VAR review despite an earlier offside involving Youssef En-Nesyri, deepened their sense of injustice.

Coach Pape Thiaw later made clear he would not accept what he described as unfair treatment, reflecting wider frustration within the Senegal camp despite their eventual triumph.

Beyond individual matches, scrutiny has increasingly focused on CAF’s refereeing structures. The dismissal of Ivorian official Doué Noumandiez, just days after Morocco lost the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final, has been viewed by some as a turning point. His replacement, Congolese referee Olivier Safari Kabene, later appointed Jean-Jacques Ndalla to oversee both the tournament’s opening match and the final.

Ndalla’s previous involvement in controversial fixtures linked to RS Berkane, a club chaired by Lekjaa has added to concerns about influence and independence within CAF.

As criticism from federations such as Senegal and Nigeria grows louder, the controversy has highlighted broader questions about accountability and governance in African football, issues that Morocco’s polished hosting of AFCON 2025 has been unable to conceal.