Confederation of African Football (CAF) is under pressure following an official protest lodged by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) against Namibian referee Twanyanyukwa Antsino, who officiated the WAFCON final between Morocco and Nigeria.
After Nigeria staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Morocco 3-2, the Moroccan federation filed a formal complaint criticizing the referee’s judgment, particularly her refusal to award a penalty late in the game despite a VAR check on a suspected handball by a Nigerian player.
The FRMF’s grievance centers on an incident in the 82nd minute with the scores level at 2-2. Video replays appeared to show the ball striking a Nigerian defender’s hand in the penalty area. However, after a VAR review, Twanyanyukwa chose not to award the penalty, sparking immediate outrage from Moroccan players and technical staff.
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In their protest, Morocco insisted the decision had a major influence on the final result, which saw Nigeria clinch their historic 10th WAFCON title. The federation described the officiating as “disappointing” and “inconsistent,” questioning CAF’s standards and the effectiveness of VAR in critical match situations.
CAF has yet to issue a formal response to the protest, but sources suggest the incident is being internally reviewed, with pressure mounting from Moroccan officials who are calling for disciplinary measures or at least an investigation into the officiating performance.
The controversy has added a layer of tension to what was otherwise a thrilling final, with many now calling for greater transparency in refereeing decisions and more robust oversight from CAF in major tournaments.
