CAF Exempts AFCON Knockout Stage Referees from Next Round of Champions League and Confederation Cup Matches for Rest

The Referees Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has decided to implement a measure concerning the officials who managed matches in the knockout stages of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, as part of its post-tournament management strategy.

Al-Botola has learned from a special source that the Referees Committee has granted a period of rest to several officials who officiated in the AFCON knockout rounds. This decision aims to allow them to spend time with their families, meaning they will be absent from the upcoming round of matches in both the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup.

This decision extends to several Moroccan officials, including international referee Jallal Jayed, along with assistant referees Zakaria Brinsi, Mostafa Akarkad, and Hamza El Fariq. These officials were assigned to manage the third-place play-off match between Egypt and Nigeria.

The source further indicated that immediately following this rest period, the Confederation of African Football is expected to reassign these referees to officiate matches in the remaining rounds of the CAF Champions League.