CAN 2025: Jean-Jacques Ndala, the only man nobody judged | OneFootball

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How can we talk about this crisis without mentioning him?

CAN 2025: Jean-Jacques Ndala, the only man nobody judged

The controversy surrounding CAN 2025 refuses to die down. After the Confederation of African Football's decision to strip Senegal of the title and crown Morocco by default, debate continues to rage across the continent. Yet, in the midst of this crisis, one figure remains rarely discussed: referee Jean-Jacques Ndala.

A first decision that kept everyone safe

At first, CAF handled the crisis with a certain measured caution. After the incidents in the final, the disciplinary jury delivered a double-edged verdict: penalties for both Morocco and Senegal for unsportsmanlike conduct, but the match result stood. The trophy remained Senegal's. This choice at least had the merit of consistency—punishing the actors without calling the sporting outcome into question.

And most importantly, no sanction was handed down to the referee of this high-tension final. Neither the score nor the triumph of the Lions of Teranga was questioned. Everyone could breathe easy—at least on the surface. But the story was only just beginning.

The shockwave from the appeals jury

Two months later, CAF struck again. But this time, the blow was different—historic, even. The appeals jury, relying on Articles 83 and 84 of the CAN regulations, completely reclassified the situation. The Senegalese players leaving the pitch was deemed a forfeit. The verdict: 3-0 victory for Morocco, Senegal stripped of the title.

A decision without precedent in modern African football. Brutal in its delivery, heavy in its consequences, and dizzying in its implications. Because amid this dramatic reversal, one thing never changes: the referee, still, is not sanctioned. As if the episode could be judged without examining its starting point.

Jean-Jacques Ndala, the man at the heart of the chaos

To understand what happened in this final, we must go back to the essentials: everything started on the pitch. A goal disallowed for the Lions of Teranga in an already overheated atmosphere. Then, moments later, a penalty awarded to Morocco after a VAR review. Two major refereeing decisions, in the tensest minutes of a final both teams desperately wanted to win. These calls triggered a chain reaction. Senegalese players’ frustration boiled over. The final descended into chaos. And it is precisely this chaos that CAF later used as a basis to strip the title—without ever questioning the decisions that led there.

Can you really reclassify a match for a breach of regulations without at the same time scrutinizing the refereeing that led to that situation? If the rules were misapplied on the pitch, why isn't the referee affected by the sanctions? If his decisions were correct and fair, why change the result after the fact? These aren’t accusations—they’re demands for consistency. And for now, they remain unanswered.

A referee FIFA could send to the 2026 World Cup?

What makes this silence even more unsettling is the referee’s career path since the final. Far from being sidelined, Jean-Jacques Ndala Ngambo has continued to officiate on African pitches, especially in CAF interclub competitions. Even more: he was among the 15 African referees selected for FIFA's preparatory seminar ahead of the 2026 World Cup. That’s a strong signal. A form of recognition, even.

But this signal, in the context of a still-contested final, creates a discomfort that’s hard to ignore. While teams are sanctioned and a title is transferred, the referee is promoted. It's not necessarily about doubting Ndala Ngambo’s abilities. Even the best referees make mistakes—that’s football. The real issue is the complete lack of scrutiny of his decisions in a case where they were central.

When decisions on a single night change the course of an entire competition, every actor deserves the same level of scrutiny. Jean-Jacques Ndala Ngambo may not be at fault. But as long as nobody says so officially, the doubt will remain.