The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations was envisioned as a celebration of football, uniting the continent in a spirit of fair competition and sporting excellence. However, events unfolding in Morocco have transcended mere refereeing errors or organizational hiccups. A systemic crisis is now threatening the credibility of the continent’s most beloved sport, transforming the tournament into a stage for scandal and conspiracy.
The 35th edition of the continental championship risks being remembered not for its brilliant goals or epic matches, but as the ‘Scandal Edition’ – one that eroded the values and beauty of the game, turning the pitch into an arena for manipulation and favoritism.
Algeria vs. Nigeria: A Case Study in Farce
The Algeria-Nigeria match epitomizes the tournament’s woes. A blatant penalty, undeniable even to the untrained eye – a clear handball within the penalty area that significantly increased the Nigerian defender’s body size – was completely ignored by Senegalese referee Issa Sy. More shockingly, VAR, intended to correct such obvious errors, remained silent, seemingly disabled or directed not to intervene.
Egyptian refereeing expert Mohamed Salah Abdel Fattah didn’t hesitate to label the incident a ‘refereeing scandal,’ asserting the violation was clear and unambiguous. Even football legend Mohamed Aboutrika questioned the VAR room’s silence in the face of such a flagrant error.
But it didn’t stop there. Bias was evident throughout the match, with Algerian players receiving yellow cards for minor infractions while more serious and violent fouls by Nigerian players went unpunished. It felt as if the match was pre-scripted, the outcome determined before the opening whistle.
Refereeing Chaos: Morocco the Primary Beneficiary?
The tragedy is that what happened to Algeria isn’t an isolated incident but part of a corrupt system plaguing the entire tournament. Alarmingly, major refereeing errors have consistently – and suspiciously – favored host nation Morocco. The integrity of the competition is now under serious scrutiny.
