The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has refused to disclose the list of referees appointed for the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals, despite repeated calls for clarity ahead of the decisive matches.
The issue has sparked strong criticism, with observers describing the situation as unacceptable at a stage where transparency is expected, especially after the controversies that accompanied several officiating decisions during the tournament.
CAF has not issued any official statement explaining why the names of the match officials are being kept confidential, leaving teams, fans and media without the usual information provided before major knockout games.
The quarter-finals are set to be played on Friday and Saturday, as the competition enters its most important phase, with qualification for the semi-finals on the line.
In recent editions of the tournament, referee appointments were typically announced in advance, but this time CAF has chosen a different approach, increasing tension and raising questions around the reasons behind the decision.
As of now, the federation has still not revealed any confirmed details regarding the refereeing teams for the four quarter-final fixtures.
