The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reportedly dismissed its Director of Refereeing, Désiré Noumandiez Doué, following controversy surrounding officiating decisions in the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

The decision comes after the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) filed an official protest over what it described as “critical officiating errors” during the final match, in which Nigeria defeated hosts Morocco 3–2 to claim a record-extending tenth WAFCON title.

Although Doué did not personally officiate the game, his role in appointing the match officials has come under scrutiny. The final was refereed by Antsino Twanyanyukwa of Namibia, with assistants from Rwanda and Senegal, while Rwanda’s Salima Mukansanga was in charge of VAR operations.

Morocco’s frustration centered around two key incidents: a penalty denied to the Atlas Lionesses that they believed was clear, and a “soft” penalty awarded to Nigeria, which ultimately swung momentum in favor of the Super Falcons.

The FRMF submitted a video dossier to CAF, outlining several contentious decisions they argue impacted the fairness of the final.

Morocco’s head coach, Jorge Vilda, expressed disappointment in a post-match interview with ESPN:

“We saw images showing clear contact, yet the referee overturned her own decision. That shift affected our players emotionally. It was a massive blow.”

While CAF has not publicly confirmed the reasons for Doué’s dismissal, sources within the organization suggest the move was aimed at restoring credibility and addressing mounting pressure over refereeing standards in African football.