The decision by the African Football Confederation‘s appeal jury to strip Senegal of the African Cup of Nations title following incidents in the final against Morocco on January 19 has led to another repercussion—this time from FIFA.
Jean-Jacques Ndala, who officiated the match, has been notably excluded from the upcoming FIFA World Cup this summer. While the African Football Confederation continues to trust him—evidenced by his assignments in the African Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup—FIFA has opted to withhold its approval.
Seven African referees were selected by FIFA’s arbitration commission, all of whom officiated at the recent African Cup of Nations. The list includes Jalal Jayed (Morocco), Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria), Pierre Atcho (Gabon), Dahane Beida (Mauritania), Tom Abongile (South Africa), Amin Mohamed (Egypt), and Omar Artan (Somalia).
Why was the referee excluded?
Jean-Jacques Ndala’s omission from the FIFA World Cup roster is not entirely unexpected. His performance in the African Cup of Nations final drew sharp criticism, with many questioning his controversial decisions and perceived inaction during critical moments.
During an executive committee meeting in Dar es Salaam on February 13, Olivier Safari, president of the CAF referees’ committee, revealed that Jean-Jacques Ndala had received instructions during a match interruption. These directives were intended to prevent the issuance of yellow cards to Senegalese players returning from the locker room—players who had already received prior warnings. The goal, according to Safari, was to “preserve the match” upon their return to the field.