The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has sacked its Director of Refereeing, Désiré Noumandiez Doué, following a major controversy that erupted after the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final. The decisive move comes on the heels of an official protest by the Moroccan Football Federation against the officiating in their match against Nigeria, which ended in Nigeria's victory.
Multiple reports confirm that Morocco’s FA lodged a strong complaint with CAF, citing officiating errors and demanding a thorough review of refereeing decisions that they claim influenced the outcome of the high-stakes final. In response to the storm of criticism and to maintain the integrity of African football competitions, CAF acted swiftly, announcing Doué’s removal from his influential role as the continent’s top refereeing official.
This dramatic post-tournament fallout has intensified debate around the quality and impartiality of refereeing in African women’s football, with fans and analysts across the continent calling for more robust training, monitoring, and accountability. CAF has yet to announce Doué’s replacement or provide further specifics about reforms to come, but sources within the organization say a new era in officiating oversight is underway.
The WAFCON 2024 final itself, which saw Nigeria crowned champions, was fiercely contested and marred by disputed decisions underscoring the scale of pressure faced by CAF to enforce fairness and uphold its reputation in the face of high-profile protests.