The African Football Confederation (CAF) has announced the list of referees selected for the preparatory stage ahead of the upcoming U17 Africa Cup of Nations, a crucial step before the final list of officials for the tournament in Morocco from 13 May to 2 June is revealed.
For this phase, Senegal will be represented by a single referee: El Hadj Amadou Sy. Following this preparatory stage, the CAF will finalize the list of referees officiating at the U17 CAN in Morocco. Granted FIFA international referee status in 2019, El Hadj Amadou Sy continues to solidify his rising reputation in African football. A native of Saint-Louis, he began his officiating journey in local competitions like the “navétanes,” progressing from youth categories to senior levels before establishing himself in Senegal’s professional football league.
With extensive experience in continental tournaments, he officiated at the 2023 U20 Africa Cup of Nations and the most recent U17 CAN, where he was among the selected officials. Historically, Senegal has often had multiple referees or entire Senegalese trios represented in African competitions. This time, El Hadj Amadou Sy carries the nation’s hopes alone during this preparatory phase, aiming to secure a spot on the final list and represent Senegal at the tournament, which will also feature the Senegalese national team in this age category.
countries with the most representatives in the caf u17 referee list
The nations with the highest representation in this preparatory stage include Algeria, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Morocco, Zambia, and South Africa, each contributing three referees. Other countries like Tunisia, Mali, Nigeria, and Egypt have two referees each on the list.
