The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unveiled the complete roster of centre referees and video assistant referees (VAR) appointed for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), with no Nigerian official making the cut.
The list, published ahead of the tournament in Morocco, features 28 centre referees and 14 VAR officials, reinforcing CAF’s commitment to deploying top officiating teams for its flagship championship.
Host nation Morocco, along with Algeria, Egypt, and Mauritania, each contributed two centre referees to the final selection. Among the VAR specialists heading to Morocco are Algeria’s Lahlou Benbraham, Egypt’s Mahmoud Ashour, Tunisia’s Haythem Guirat, Morocco’s Hamza El Fariq, and Senegal’s Djibril Camara, all of whom bring significant experience in African and international competitions.
The 2025 AFCON will take place from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, marking one of the latest calendar windows the competition has been held. Hosts Morocco will kick off the tournament against Comoros in the opening match scheduled for Sunday, 21 December, at the Rabat stadium.
The release of the officiating list has already sparked discussions across the continent, particularly regarding the absence of Nigerian referees, a development that may reignite debates over the country’s representation in elite African football officiating.
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