Benin Republic head coach, Gernot Rohr, has strongly criticised the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after his side suffered a slim 1-0 defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo at the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The German manager accused match officials of making costly errors, including failing to award Benin what he described as a clear penalty, and questioned the effectiveness of officiating standards at the tournament.
Reacting after the encounter, Rohr openly expressed his anger, raising serious concerns over the use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and the decisions taken by officials during the match.
“I am extremely unhappy with the refereeing at this AFCON,” Rohr said in his post-match remarks. “VAR was there, yet we were denied a penalty. What is happening? Things are becoming chaotic under CAF.”
The former Super Eagles coach went further to suggest that Benin Republic may not be receiving fair treatment due to their status in African football. According to him, smaller nations appear to be overlooked when crucial decisions are made.
“It feels like Benin is being ignored because we are not a big football nation,” the 71-year-old stated, questioning whether all teams are being judged by the same standards.
Rohr also highlighted organisational shortcomings beyond the pitch, recounting how a member of his technical crew was denied access to an empty stadium while on scouting duty in Tangier.
“I sent one of my staff members to scout a match, and he wasn’t even allowed into the stadium, even though it was empty. He had to watch the game on television elsewhere. That is unacceptable,” Rohr added.
The defeat now complicates Benin’s qualification hopes at AFCON 2025. The team will next face Botswana on Saturday, December 27, before taking on defending champions Senegal on December 30 in their final group fixture.
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