The Confederation of African Football Referees Committee has assigned Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala to take charge of the first leg of the 2026 CAF Champions League final between Morocco’s FAR Rabat and South African side Mamelodi Sundowns.
Ndala, who has previously faced intense scrutiny for his performance in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final between hosts Morocco and Senegal, will oversee the opening leg scheduled for May 17 in Pretoria, South Africa.
CAF also announced that Somali referee Omar Artan will handle the return leg of the final, set for May 24 in Rabat, Morocco.
In a related development, Ndala was notably omitted from FIFA’s list of referees selected for the 2026 World Cup. FIFA instead confirmed seven centre referees, 10 assistant referees, and two Video Assistant Referees representing Africa.
His omission is widely believed to be linked to the controversy that followed his officiating of the AFCON final in Morocco.
During that match, Ndala became a focal point of criticism after the game was disrupted amid chaotic scenes, including a protest walk-off by Senegal players.
The fixture was temporarily suspended before eventually resuming. Although Senegal originally won 1-0 on the pitch, the CAF appeals committee later awarded the victory to Morocco.
