AFCON: When the Host Becomes the

AFCON: When the Host Becomes the Story

By Sola Fanawopo

Every Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) leaves behind a trail of champions and heartbreaks. However, as the dust settles on the 2025 cycle, an uncomfortable question remains, one that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) cannot afford to dodge: How should the continent manage the growing scrutiny around "gamesmanship" and the so-called “dark arts,” particularly when the host is also CAF’s most indispensable partner?

This is not merely a Moroccan problem; it is an existential governance crisis. If CAF handles it poorly, it risks turning Africa’s premier tournament into a stage where political power, rather than sporting performance, becomes the ultimate decider.

The Paradox of the Preferred Host

Let us be clear: Morocco has earned its status as a preferred host. Through massive infrastructure investment, organizational efficiency, and political stability, the Kingdom has become CAF’s "safe pair of hands." Visitors to Morocco for AFCON rarely have a bad review of the country’s hospitality or facilities—even those from nations who felt short-changed by the "gamesmanship" on the pitch.

However, strategic importance must never translate into sporting immunity. The greatest danger facing CAF today is the creeping perception that certain nations have become too important to be questioned. In the high-stakes world of international football, perception is as fatal as reality. When fans and federations believe the scales are tilted, the integrity of the institution crumbles. As an intangible asset, the "brand" of AFCON is what CAF must protect above all else.

Defining the "Red Line"

Football has always involved a level of gamesmanship—tactical disruptions, psychological pressure, and crowd intimidation. While often unsightly, these are generally legal facets of the game.

The danger arises when gamesmanship evolves into institutional manipulation. This occurs when a host nation’s control of logistics, security, and the matchday environment is weaponized. Whether it is ball boys selectively delaying restarts, security officials interfering with a visiting team’s flow, or an officiating environment heavy with host-nation pressure, a red line is crossed.

At that point, the match is no longer a contest between twenty-two players; it is a contest between a visiting team and a rigged system. We saw flashes of this tension in the high-stakes encounters between Nigeria vs. Morocco and Senegal vs. Morocco in the semi-finals and final. When the narrative shifts from the skill of the players to the conduct of the ball boys and the "towel wars" in the goal area, football loses.

The Need for a Compliance Framework

To protect the soul of the tournament, CAF must move beyond emotional debates and reactive statements. The solution is not a "witch-hunt," but the implementation of cold, procedural justice. CAF should immediately institutionalize a Host Nation Compliance Framework including:

Neutralized Logistics: CAF must take direct control of match-day operations, appointing neutral personnel for pitch-side duties like ball boys and security.

Officiating Insulation: Referees must be logistically independent of host hospitality, with aggressive rotation and independent VAR operations to prevent "home-court" psychological traps.

Operational Audits: Just as players are drug-tested, match-day environments should be audited by independent observers to ensure operational neutrality.

The Price of Silence

Silence in the face of controversy breeds conspiracy. Opacity breeds mistrust. And mistrust destroys tournaments faster than corruption ever could. CAF should not shy away from publishing tournament integrity reports or addressing controversies with transparency.

What is at stake is bigger than any single nation. If CAF fails to act, smaller federations will disengage, and the AFCON brand—one of Africa’s greatest exports,will lose its global credibility.

CAF should neither punish Morocco because it is powerful nor protect it because it is useful. It must build an institution where the rules apply most strictly to those with the most influence. Unfortunately for CAF, there is no time to delay; Morocco is set to host the Women’s AFCON (WAFCON) this March, barely two months away.

At the heart of our game, fairness and safety are the most fundamental variables. They must be shielded at all costs.

Sola Fanawopo is the Chairman of Osun State Football Association