One month after the African Football Confederation’s appeals jury stripped Senegal of its African Nations Cup title due to incidents during the final against Morocco on January 19, another decision has been handed down—this time by FIFA.

A key figure in the controversy, referee Jean-Jacques Ndala, has been excluded from officiating at this summer’s World Cup. Despite retaining the confidence of the African Football Confederation, as evidenced by his assignments in the African Champions League and CAF Cup, FIFA has chosen to distance itself from his services.

Interestingly, seven African referees were selected by FIFA’s refereeing commission, all of whom officiated at the recent African Nations Cup. The list includes Morocco’s Jalal Jayed, Algeria’s Mustapha Ghorbal, Gabon’s Pierre Atcho, Mauritania’s Dahane Beida, South Africa’s Tom Abongile, Egypt’s Amin Mohamed, and Somalia’s Omar Artan.

Controversial decisions and missed opportunities

The omission of Jean-Jacques Ndala from the World Cup officiating roster may not come as a complete shock. His performance in the African Nations Cup final drew sharp criticism, with many analysts questioning his controversial calls and failure to intervene during critical moments.

However, according to Olivier Safari, Chair of the CAF Referees Committee, instructions were given to the Congolese referee during a halftime break. These directives reportedly prevented the issuance of yellow cards to Senegal players who had already received warnings, which could have led to their ejection upon returning to the field—all to “preserve the integrity of the match”.