On the coronary heart of the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, a particular initiative lit up the behind-the-scenes of the match: an open-door session for refereeing held on the Kahrama Centre in Casablanca. Throughout two hours of coaching, the referees had the chance to fine-tune their expertise beneath the watchful eye of Souleymane Waberi, CAF Vice-President and Chairman of the Youth Soccer Committee. On a pitch outfitted with eight cameras and a management room devoted to VAR, the session supplied a deep dive into the meticulous work carried out by officers forward of the quarter-final.
In a extremely technical setting, reflecting the standard of infrastructure supplied by Morocco, the 45 referees concerned within the competitors (together with 10 VAR officers) gathered for a second of sharing, demonstration, and refinement. The session was fastidiously divided into areas: one for bodily restoration for referees who had officiated the day past, one other for assistant referees, and a 3rd for VAR-specific work. The targets had been clear: to enhance positioning, good decision-making within the penalty space — described as probably the most harmful zone by Désiré Noumandiez Doué, Chairman of CAF’s Referees Committee — and to reinforce VAR evaluation instances, that are nonetheless typically thought of too lengthy.
Making ready the Subsequent Era Right now
For Souleymane Waberi, this session totally embodies CAF’s philosophy concerning youth soccer: creating an atmosphere conducive to studying, expressing expertise, and getting ready for worldwide competitions. “When younger individuals have pitches like this, it is a celebration,” he mentioned after the primary part of the match, referring to the standard of the spectacle. “Numerous objectives are being scored — stunning objectives. It is nice for the younger gamers and for the event of our soccer in Africa.”
The stakes are even larger this yr, because the U-17 AFCON is a qualifying match for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, with, for the primary time, 10 African groups anticipated to take part.
For Désiré Noumandiez Doué, which means a rigorous choice course of based mostly on technical capability, youth, and the capability to adapt to fast-paced and unpredictable matches: “We choose to have younger referees in a youth setting. It helps them perceive the sport higher, react faster, and join extra simply with the gamers.”
Throughout this session, a observe match with a neighborhood workforce was included to simulate dwell match situations, regulate assistant referees’ viewing angles, work on real-time VAR procedures, and strengthen communication amongst all elements of the officiating workforce. “We observed some weaknesses in focus and positioning.
Ladies Referees: The Daybreak of a New Period
Among the many 45 officers chosen for this match, 13 are girls — a primary that symbolises the deep transformation of the African refereeing panorama. “It is a sturdy sign to girls’s soccer,” says Doué. “You’ve got all seen how the ladies have carried out on the totally different pitches. They’re making their mark. Hats off to them.” Their presence is the results of a transparent gender-focused method, in addition to years of devoted work to present them confidence, instruments, and obligations. “It permits girls to flourish extra, with out hesitation, particularly in what has historically been a male-dominated atmosphere,” Doué added.
One inspiring determine is Senegalese referee Tabara Mbodji, who represents this rising era.
“The U-17 Africa Cup of Nations is a well-structured competitors the place we get to make use of VAR in a sensible setting. You possibly can really feel that CAF believes in us. It pushes us to purpose larger, to focus on the highest competitions.” For Tabara, the aim is evident: “I wish to show that we belong — not simply in Africa however globally.”
Feminine participation is not only a quota — it is turning into a driving drive for transformation. On the Casablanca workshops, the ladies referees acquired the identical suggestions, participated in the identical drills, and analysed the identical VAR sequences as their male counterparts.
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Eyes on the Future
This open-door day in Casablanca showcased the evolution underway in African refereeing. It’s not afraid to innovate, it trusts in youth, contains girls as key gamers in its growth, and prepares diligently to satisfy the calls for of high-level soccer. With Morocco’s top-tier infrastructure — praised by Waberi as “one of many nations this yr to have developed high-quality amenities” — the U-17 AFCON is turning into an open-air laboratory of excellence.
On this spirit, African refereeing is equipping itself to assist the rise of youth soccer on the continent and to put the foundations for a extra outstanding presence on the worldwide stage. As Waberi summed it up: “This yr, Africa goes far — very far. And refereeing should go together with it.”
