Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced plans to ban the use of towels by goalkeepers following a series of controversial incidents that marred the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) tournament in Morocco. CAF referees committee president Olivier Safari in a statement said the continental football governing body may be forced to act after scenes involving goalkeepers’ towels repeatedly disrupted matches, raising concerns about fair play, crowd control and interference. Footage of stewards repeatedly moving or removing the towels quickly went viral on social media, sparking widespread criticism. Malawi is no stranger to goalkeepers’ towels sparking controversies during matches. The ban will, therefore, bring some sanity as it will prevent such incidents which may bring the sport into disrepute.”