Controversial AFCON Final Referee Handed Sundowns vs FAR Rabat Decider
Sportswire has been informed that the Confederation of African Football has appointed Jean-Jacques Ndala Ngambo to officiate the first-leg semi-final of the CAF Champions League between Mamelodi Sundowns and FAR Rabat.
According to a circular seen by Sportswire, Ndala has been tasked with refereeing the first leg despite concerns over his reputation following his handling of the Africa Cup of Nations final in Morocco in January.
He will be flanked by the Congolese assistants, Joëlian Ngila and Gradil Munia, and the Sudanese VAR official, Ahmed Abdel Aziz.
Ndala officiated the much-talked-about final between Senegal and Morocco, where he became the centre of attention after the match descended into chaos, with Senegal’s players walking off the pitch in protest.
The game was halted for nearly 18 minutes, creating a tense and highly charged atmosphere on one of African football’s biggest stages.
This followed a controversial stoppage-time penalty incident, in which El Hadji Malick Diouf was adjudged to have grabbed Brahim Díaz around the neck in the 98th minute.
After a VAR review, Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty. Senegal reacted angrily, with head coach Pape Thiaw instructing his players to leave the field.
Former Liverpool FC forward Sadio Mané, however, remained on the pitch and played a crucial role in persuading his teammates to return, as some had already headed to the dressing room.
After a delay of approximately 17 minutes, Díaz took the penalty, but his attempted Panenka was brilliantly saved by Édouard Mendy, keeping Senegal in the contest.
Senegal went on to win the match through a strike by Pape Gueye. However, Senegal was later found guilty by the CAF Appeal Board for leaving the field, forfeiting the match, with Morocco awarded a 3–0 victory.
Senegal has since taken the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to challenge the CAF Appeal Board’s decision.
Following the incident in Morocco, Ndala was omitted from the list of African referees selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The first leg of the Champions League semi-final will take place on 15 May at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, where Ndala is expected to officiate. The second leg is scheduled for 24 May at Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah, notably the same venue that hosted the AFCON final.
The winner of this tie secures a spot in both the FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
Although Ndala’s reputation was affected by his handling of the AFCON final, he has officiated several high-profile matches in Africa, including the second-leg final of the 2024 CAF Champions League between Al Ahly and Espérance de Tunis.
He also refereed the second leg of the final when Mamelodi Sundowns won the inaugural African Football League in the 2023/24 season against Wydad Casablanca at Loftus.
