The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has imposed a six-month suspension on Zambian referee Janny Sikazwe for his handling of the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations final. The match, held on January 19, 2026, saw Morocco defeat Senegal 2-1 in a game marred by controversial officiating decisions.
FIFA's disciplinary committee concluded that Sikazwe made several critical errors that significantly impacted the match's outcome. The sanctions were announced on April 18, 2026, following a formal investigation. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) had previously launched its own review of the match officials' performance.
The final, played in Yaoundé, Cameroon, was decided by a late Moroccan goal in extra time. Post-match, the Senegalese Football Federation lodged an official protest regarding the refereeing, which triggered the FIFA inquiry. CAF has stated it respects FIFA's disciplinary process and will implement the suspension across all competitions it organizes.
This incident has reignited debates over the use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in African football, as the 2026 final was one of the first major continental finals to operate without a full VAR system due to technical constraints reported at the stadium.
