The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released the official list of referees selected for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), but in a disappointing development, no Nigerian referee made the cut.
The 35th edition of the prestigious continental tournament will be held from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, across six major Moroccan cities, including Casablanca, Marrakech, and Rabat. Football fans across Africa are already anticipating an electrifying competition featuring the continent’s finest talents.
According to CAF, a total of 94 match officials have been invited to a four-day training camp in Cairo, Egypt, scheduled for November 8–13. The program will feature 33 referees, 36 assistant referees, and 11 Video Assistant Referees (VAR). The intensive sessions will focus on fitness development, match management, and advanced VAR operations to ensure uniform officiating standards throughout the tournament.
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However, the absence of any Nigerian referee on the list has drawn widespread concern within the country’s football community. Analysts say it reflects a deeper problem within Nigeria’s refereeing system, citing the need for structural reform, improved training, and international exposure for local officials.
The last time a Nigerian referee officiated at the AFCON was in 2006, when Emmanuel Imiere took charge of a match between Zambia and Guinea during the tournament in Egypt. Nearly two decades later, Nigeria’s continued exclusion from the continent’s top officiating ranks raises questions about the country’s commitment to referee development.
Observers have urged the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to prioritize referee education and invest in modern training infrastructure to ensure that Nigerian officials once again feature on CAF and FIFA’s international lists.
