CAF Appoints Neutral Officials for Semi-Final First Legs as Pirates and Sundowns Avoid North African Referees

Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns will take to the field for their CAF Champions League semi-final first legs on Saturday with one less thing to worry about — the pressure and controversy that sometimes accompanies officiating by North African referees.

The Soweto giants and the Tshwane powerhouse are both at home for the opening legs, and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed match officials from East Africa to oversee proceedings.

Pacifique Ndabihawenimana, a seasoned referee from Burundi, will officiate Pirates’ clash with Pyramids FC at FNB Stadium (kick-off at 18:00). Ndabihawenimana is a familiar figure in African football and has experience with South African clubs. He was the man in the middle during the 2021 CAF Champions League final, where Kaizer Chiefs suffered a heavy defeat against Al Ahly, and again in early 2024 when Sundowns claimed a solid away win at Nouadhibou.

Interestingly, he has also previously officiated a match involving Pyramids, when the Egyptian side lost to Esperance in a Group D encounter last December. His most recent assignment came in the CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinals, where he handed out four yellow cards and one red in the clash between ASEC Mimosas and RS Berkane.

Meanwhile, Mamelodi Sundowns, who welcome Egyptian giants Al Ahly to Loftus Versfeld at 15:00, will have their match officiated by Omar Artan from Somalia. Artan is no stranger to the Champions League, having overseen Sundowns’ win over Mbabane Swallows in the preliminary rounds earlier this season.

Al Ahly, too, are familiar with Artan’s officiating style. He was in charge when the Cairo side lost 1-0 away at CR Belouizdad in the group stage earlier this year. His appointment is seen as a neutral and balanced choice, aiming to ensure fair play in what is expected to be a high-intensity showdown.

Both matches will feature Video Assistant Referee (VAR), adding another layer of oversight and reassurance in two high-stakes fixtures.

With officiating often a hot topic in African football — particularly in matches involving North African clubs — the appointment of East African referees brings a welcome sense of neutrality. Pirates and Sundowns will now focus solely on their football, hoping to build strong results at home before the decisive second legs away.

These semi-final ties offer both South African clubs a chance to assert their dominance on the continental stage and possibly set up a historic all-South African final.