The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unveiled the official list of referees selected to officiate at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The 35th edition of the tournament will be held from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, across six cities in Morocco.
According to CAF, all selected referees and assistant referees will converge in Cairo from November 8 to 13 for an intensive training camp in preparation for the competition.
Notably, no Nigerian referee made the list, highlighting the growing concern over Nigeria’s declining presence in continental officiating and the need for improved referee development and investment in the system.
Reports from BSN Sports reveal that 94 officials have been invited in total — comprising 33 referees, 36 assistant referees, and 11 Video Assistant Referees (VAR) — who will undergo fitness, match management, and VAR operation sessions to ensure consistency in officiating standards.
According to Inside CAF, the camp aims to refine the officials’ readiness ahead of AFCON 2025.
It’s been 19 years since a Nigerian referee last officiated at an AFCON match — Emmanuel Imiere, who handled the Zambia vs Guinea fixture during the 2006 tournament in Egypt.
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