Kenya’s Peter Waweru embraces ‘modern refereeing’ as CAF steps up AFCON 2025 preparations

Referee Peter Waweru Kamaku. (Photo: Courtesy)

By Erick Kariuki
Thursday, December 4, 2025

Kenyan referee Peter Waweru explains how CAF’s AFCON 2025 course in Cairo is sharpening modern refereeing, with a focus on VAR, consistency and player management ahead of Morocco’s 52-match tournament.

Kenyan CAF referee Peter Waweru says the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco will demand the highest levels of consistency, modern match management, and technological mastery.

Speaking via videolink after an intensive preparation course in Cairo, Egypt, Waweru broke down the evolution of refereeing ahead of Africa’s biggest football event, describing the training as “modern, integrated, and more player-centric than ever before”.

The course, conducted under the CAF Referees Committee, focuses on sharpening decision-making, refining player management, and improving uniformity across officiating teams in all 52 AFCON matches.

Waweru is among the referees, assistant referees, VAR officials, and technical instructors selected for the month-long build-up to the tournament set for December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.

“The preparation we have had for AFCON has been more focused on modern refereeing. We have been training in the modern way, training integrally with players on the field," he explained.

"I decide as a referee, and then the VAR protocol follows. This has really developed me in my decision-making, to understand modern football trends, and to ensure decisions are acceptable to everyone.”

Waweru said the new approach doesn’t stop at technical accuracy. He believes player management will be crucial when handling some of Africa’s top stars, many of whom play in Europe’s biggest leagues.

“It’s very important to know how to manage different players because we are going to be officiating professional players,” he notes.

For the 2025 tournament, CAF is prioritising three pillars: consistency, VAR efficiency, and group-wide uniformity.

“The key points are very important,” Waweru added. “Number one is consistency from one referee to the other so that the whole referee body is consistent. Number two is the VAR protocol, ensuring referees on the field and those in the VAR room are consistent from the first game to the last. And then the trends: how we are doing as a group together. The keyword is uniformity.”

Beyond the technical details, Waweru’s identity as a teacher continues to shape his leadership within the referees’ group. He sees AFCON not just as a competition, but as a platform for mentorship.

“My background is in teaching. Naturally, I’ve always been involved in bringing up young people and mentoring them,” he said. “In refereeing, we have young and new officials coming in, and with the experience we have, it’s about ‘iron sharpens iron.’ Our job is to encourage and mentor them as we move on. We work as a unit. No one is more talented than the other. We all focus together as we grow.”

As Waweru and his colleagues prepare behind the scenes, the football world is already buzzing about the player lineup heading to Morocco. The AFCON will host a stacked list of Premier League stars expected to headline the tournament.

Egypt, Africa’s most decorated team, arrives with Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah and Manchester City striker Omar Marmoush. They open their campaign against Zimbabwe on December 22 at 5:00 pm before facing rivals South Africa on December 26 at 3:00 pm.

Holders Côte d’Ivoire feature Manchester United winger Amad Diallo and Wolves defender Emmanuel Agbadou. Cameroon have United forward Bryan Mbeumo, while Morocco, one of the favourites, showcases United’s Noussair Mazraoui. Nigeria is also heavily reinforced with Fulham’s Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey.