AFCON
AFCON 2025: Nigeria Missing on the Referees’ List—A Symptom of a Deeper Problem
By Eby Emenike
When the Confederation of African Football (CAF) unveiled the list of match officials for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, a worrying detail jumped out: Nigeria was nowhere to be found. Not a referee, not an assistant referee, not even a video match official.
For a country that proudly calls itself the “giant of Africa” in football, the omission is more than symbolic. It is alarming.
Nigeria’s last appearance in AFCON officiating dates back to 2006, when Emmanuel Imiere handled a group-stage encounter between Guinea and Zambia in Alexandria. Nineteen years later, a new generation of African referees is emerging—and Nigeria has no seat at the table.
Continental Comparison
The contrast is stark:
- Egypt – 6 officials
- Algeria – 5
- Morocco – 5
- Nigeria – 0
Even smaller football nations such as Benin, Eswatini and São Tomé & Príncipe are represented.
Why Has Nigeria Fallen Behind?
Football insiders point to three interconnected factors.
Training Gaps:
CAF now requires stringent certification, including VAR competence. Nigerian referees have lagged behind these evolving standards, and few have transitioned into the modern refereeing ecosystem.
Governance Failures:
Refereeing development has not featured prominently in Nigeria’s football administration agenda. Without structured national training pathways, Nigerian officials are left out of CAF’s refereeing pipeline.
Systemic Neglect:
Experts argue this is not a case of individuals failing to rise—it is a system that has stopped producing elite match officials.
A Continental Shift—Women Step Forward
While Nigeria sits out, CAF is expanding the horizon of African officiating. The inclusion of female referees and assistants reflects a progressive shift. Names like Uganda’s Shamirah Nabadda, Cameroon’s Carine Fomo, and Zambia’s Diana Chikotesha underline the arrival of women at the heart of the African game.
This is inclusion in real time—and Nigeria is missing from that story too.
What Must Change
Nigeria’s absence at AFCON 2025 should be a call to action. Investment in refereeing development, modernization of training programmes, and a coherent strategy for talent identification are urgently required.
Football is more than players, coaches and goals. It is officiating, governance, and the structures that hold the entire ecosystem together.
Nigeria cannot continue to boast of football greatness if it remains empty-handed each time Africa’s biggest football event calls on the continent’s best officials. The question now is whether Nigerian football authorities will respond—with policy, investment, and vision—or watch quietly from the sidelines.
As Africa takes steps forward, the danger is that Nigeria may be taking steps back.
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Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe has praised Morocco’s King Mohammed VI for what he described as a powerful gesture of unity and reconciliation following the royal pardon granted to Senegalese supporters convicted over offences linked to the final match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
In a statement released on Saturday, Motsepe expressed deep appreciation on behalf of CAF’s 54 member associations, hailing the Moroccan monarch’s decision as a demonstration of football’s ability to foster peace and solidarity across the continent.
“I would like to express our deep gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, for granting His Royal Pardon to the Senegalese supporters convicted of offences relating to the final match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025,” Motsepe stated.
The CAF president said the pardon reflected Morocco’s enduring commitment to African unity and highlighted football’s growing role as a bridge between nations and cultures.
“CAF has consistently emphasised its commitment to utilise football to contribute to uniting our people from different racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds,” he said.
“The pardon by His Majesty King Mohammed VI is an uplifting and motivating illustration of the power of football to unite and bring our people together in Africa and worldwide.”
Motsepe also revealed that during recent visits to both Morocco and Senegal, he had been struck by the deep historical and cultural bonds shared by the two countries.
“I was amazed and impressed when I was briefed about the historic and extensive ties between the people of Senegal and Morocco,” he added.
The statement further reinforced Morocco’s rising influence within African football, especially after successfully hosting the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and positioning itself as one of Africa’s leading football destinations ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which it will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
Motsepe also extended CAF’s best wishes to Africa’s representatives at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, expressing confidence that the continent’s teams would perform strongly on the global stage.
Among the African nations mentioned were Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Ghana, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Cape Verde and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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By Kunle Solaja.
Former African champions Algeria and Zambia are set for an early showdown after the release of the Group I fixtures for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Algeria host Zambia on Matchday One on September 21, 2026, in what is expected to be one of the headline fixtures of the qualifying campaign, while Togo entertain Burundi in the group’s other opening tie.
The Desert Foxes are favourites to qualify, but Zambia’s growing consistency and Togo’s unpredictability could make the race highly competitive.
Algeria travel to Burundi on Matchday Two before facing Togo in back-to-back encounters across Matchdays Three and Four. Zambia also meet Burundi home and away during the same period.
The potentially decisive fixture comes on March 22, 2027, when Zambia host Algeria in a clash that could determine the final standings.
Group I Fixtures
Matchday 1 — September 21, 2026
- Algeria vs Zambia
- Togo vs Burundi
Matchday 2 — October 6, 2026
- Zambia vs Togo
- Burundi vs Algeria
Matchday 3 — October 2026
- Algeria vs Togo
- Zambia vs Burundi
Matchday 4 — November 17, 2026
- Togo vs Algeria
- Burundi vs Zambia
Matchday 5 — March 22, 2027
- Zambia vs Algeria
- Burundi vs Togo
Matchday 6 — March 30, 2027
- Togo vs Zambia
- Algeria vs Burundi
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By Kunle Solaja.
African heavyweights Senegal will launch their quest for another Africa Cup of Nations appearance with a home clash against Mozambique in Group J of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
The Lions of Teranga, among the continent’s strongest teams in recent years, headline a group that also includes Sudan and Ethiopia.
Senegal host Mozambique on Matchday One on September 21, 2026, while Sudan tackle Ethiopia in the other opening encounter.
Senegal are strong favourites to dominate the group, but Sudan and Mozambique are expected to battle fiercely for qualification points.
The key fixtures may emerge in the double-header between Senegal and Sudan across Matchdays Three and Four, while Mozambique and Ethiopia also face each other home and away.
Senegal travel to Mozambique on Matchday Five before ending their campaign at home against Ethiopia on March 30, 2027.
Group J Fixtures
Matchday 1 — September 21, 2026
- Senegal vs Mozambique
- Sudan vs Ethiopia
Matchday 2 — October 6, 2026
- Mozambique vs Sudan
- Ethiopia vs Senegal
Matchday 3 — October 2026
- Senegal vs Sudan
- Mozambique vs Ethiopia
Matchday 4 — November 17, 2026
- Sudan vs Senegal
- Ethiopia vs Mozambique
Matchday 5 — March 22, 2027
- Mozambique vs Senegal
- Ethiopia vs Sudan
Matchday 6 — March 30, 2027
- Sudan vs Mozambique
- Senegal vs Ethiopia
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