The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released the final roster of match officials for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, with no Nigerian referee or assistant referee making the 73-man list, ANN reports.
The list, published by CAF and seen on Wednesday, features 42 centre referees, 31 video match officials, and 31 assistant referees drawn from across the continent — but Nigeria, one of Africa’s football giants, was conspicuously absent.
Officials were selected from countries including Algeria, Egypt, Senegal, DR Congo, Morocco, Cameroon, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa, among others. The appointments span traditional football powerhouses and emerging officiating nations, but Nigeria did not feature in any category.
CAF did not issue a public explanation for the exclusion. However, the decision has fueled debate among football followers, with many questioning whether Nigerian referees currently meet the continental body’s performance benchmarks.
A senior football analyst in Abuja told ANN that the omission “raises uncomfortable questions about Nigeria’s standing in African refereeing,” adding that CAF selections typically reflect “current competence, fitness tests, and officiating consistency.”
CAF’s selections come as preparations intensify ahead of the tournament’s kickoff next month in Morocco. With the increasing reliance on VAR technology, the role of Video Match Officials (VMOs) has grown, but even in this expanded category, Nigeria still failed to secure a single slot.
Football stakeholders say the development should prompt internal reflection within the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). One Lagos-based referee instructor told ANN: “CAF has sent a message. If none of our referees appear on a list of 73, we must ask ourselves hard questions.”
AFCON 2025 begins on 21st December, with CAF insisting that the chosen officials represent the “highest standards of integrity and technical quality” needed for Africa’s biggest football showpiece.
