For more than two decades, I have watched African football from almost every angle as a commentator, pundit, journalist, broadcaster, critic, sports industry leader, and from inside the corporate side of the global sports business.

And I say this with conviction:

AFCON 2025 was the most important African football tournament of our generation.

Not because it was perfect. But because it revealed, at the same time, how far we have come, and how close we are to getting it wrong.

This was not just another tournament. It was a leadership moment for African football.

So I reflect on AFCON 2025 through The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, not as nostalgia, but as strategy.

The Good: Africa Is Ready for the World

Morocco set a new benchmark.

From infrastructure to transport, stadia to hospitality, fan experience to destination appeal, AFCON 2025 felt genuinely world-class.

As Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal, this tournament sent a clear signal:

Africa is no longer chasing global standards. Africa is now delivering them.

On the pitch, the evolution is undeniable:

• Better football
• More modern coaching
• Players who are global brands

From Hakimi, Mané, Salah and Osimhen, to Mahrez, Ndidi, Onyango and a new generation announcing itself, AFCON is now one of the most important shop windows in world football.

This edition also attracted the highest number of Africa-eligible players born in Europe and the diaspora, a powerful vote of confidence in identity, competitiveness and continental relevance.

And then there was Brahim Díaz.

His Panenka against Edouard Mendy was not just a penalty. It was a statement of confidence, imagination and belonging.

CAF, too, deserves credit:

• Expanded sponsorship
• Stronger broadcast partnerships
• Even Netflix arrived

This was a professionally delivered tournament. Progress is real.

The Bad: Refereeing and the Crisis of Trust

But progress is fragile.

The dominant narrative of AFCON 2025 was not football. It was officiating.

From the group stages to the knockout rounds, questions around consistency, competence and credibility followed the tournament.

Referee mistakes are part of football. But when controversy becomes the main storyline, trust collapses.

The attempted walk-out by Senegal was a red line. That should never happen in modern football.

For CAF, refereeing is no longer a technical issue. It is a strategic risk.

African football now needs a fully professional refereeing ecosystem:

• Better training
• Better pay
• Clear accountability

You cannot build a world-class product on uncertain foundations.

Let’s circle back to the Senegal walk out!

The moment Senegal’s coach asked his players to leave the pitch was equally horrible and deeply despicable.

That should never happen again.

Because when coaches pull teams off the field, it doesn’t just disrupt a match,  it destroys trust.

Trust in officials.

Trust in the competition.

Trust in the integrity of the game itself.

Once that trust is broken, it is very hard to rebuild.

The Ugly: When Gamesmanship Becomes Self-Sabotage

Some images should never represent African football.

Ball boys fighting goalkeepers. Security staff interfering in play. A captain throwing an opponent’s towel into the crowd.

That sequence in Morocco was not home advantage. It was embarrassing.

And beyond the optics, this matters:

• Broadcasters notice
• Sponsors notice
• Global audiences notice

AFCON is too valuable to be reduced to street theatre.

African sports journalists have played a huge role in the rise of AFCON and the global growth of our game.

But there is a line we are increasingly crossing.

When journalists become fans, credibility is the first casualty.

The scenes after the AFCON final,  where Moroccan journalists booed Senegal coach Pape Thiaw, forcing a press conference to be cancelled,  were not just embarrassing.

They were damaging.

And it wasn’t an isolated case.

Across the tournament, we saw reporters in national kits, waving flags in media tribunes, shouting with supporters, lining up for selfies, and blurring the boundary between coverage and partisanship.

Love your country.

But never lose your duty.

African football’s next phase of growth depends not only on players and administrators, but on a media corps that understands one thing:

Professionalism is not optional.

It is the standard.

The Bigger Question: What Kind of AFCON Do We Want?

AFCON 2025 is an inflection point.

Global attention is growing. The product is improving. The brand is finally gaining momentum.

And yet, at this exact moment, CAF is considering:

• Moving AFCON from biennial to quadrennial
• Introducing an African Nations League

This deserves deeper scrutiny.

Frequency is not AFCON’s weakness. It is one of its greatest strengths.

The rhythm. The continuity. The tradition.

UEFA’s Nations League has struggled to truly capture European fans in markets with stronger infrastructure and deeper commercial bases.

So the question must be asked:

Why dilute a brand that is finally rising?

Final Thought: This Is a Leadership Test

AFCON 2025 taught us two truths at once:

• African football is ready for the world
• African football is still vulnerable to itself

The challenge now is clear:

• Professionalise refereeing
• Strengthen governance
• Protect integrity
• Be cautious with structural experiments

AFCON is not just a tournament. It is Africa’s most powerful sporting asset.

As someone who has worked across media, broadcasting and the business of football, I believe this moment demands more than commentary.

It demands leadership, reform and courage.

Because institutions are not built in moments of comfort, they are built in moments of scrutiny.

AFCON 2025 gave us the spotlight. What we do next will define African football for a generation.

If AFCON is Africa’s most powerful sporting asset, where should CAF draw the line between home advantage and self-sabotage, and which non-negotiable standard must be enforced next to protect trust in the competition?

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