Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is preparing to clamp down on the growing use of the so-called “towel tactic” by goalkeepers, following its widespread appearance during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
CAF Referees’ Committee President, Olivier Safari Kabene, has made it clear that the practice is no longer being tolerated and could soon attract strict sanctions. The tactic, which involves goalkeepers bringing towels to the goalpost area, came under heavy spotlight during the tournament, especially in penalty situations.
High-profile goalkeepers such as Nigeria’s Stanley Nwabali and Senegal’s Édouard Mendy were among those seen using towels near their posts, raising concerns among referees and football authorities about the impact of the practice on the fairness of the game.
According to Safari, the towel is not considered part of a player’s official equipment and should not be anywhere near the field of play when it is being used to influence events.
“The towel must be kept away from a goalkeeper who shouts and influences the game,” Safari said, stressing that CAF will not allow objects to be used as tools of gamesmanship or psychological distraction.
While some goalkeepers argue that towels are simply used to dry their hands or gloves, refereeing officials believe the tactic is often employed to gain a subtle but unfair advantage — particularly during penalty shootouts, where the towels can serve as visual markers or be used to disrupt the concentration of penalty takers.
CAF has now instructed referees to pay closer attention to the issue, and further directives are expected ahead of upcoming continental competitions. Sanctions could include warnings, yellow cards or the removal of the object from the field before play is allowed to continue.
The move signals CAF’s determination to protect the integrity of the game and ensure that the Laws of the Game are applied uniformly across Africa’s competitions.
With the next round of CAF tournaments approaching, goalkeepers across the continent have been put on notice: the era of the “towel tactic” may soon be coming to an end.
