 has officially appointed the refereeing team for the AFCON 2025 semi-final){kind=link}
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially appointed the refereeing team for the AFCON 2025 semi-final between Nigeria and Morocco, scheduled for January 14, 2026, at Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdallah Stadium.
Leading the officiating team is Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Ayi Laryea, recognised for his experience in major continental tournaments.
He will be assisted on the field by Zakhele Thusi Granville Siwela (South Africa) and Souru Phatsoane (Lesotho), with Arsenio Chadreque Maringule (Mozambique) as the third assistant referee.
Samuel Uwikunda of Rwanda has been appointed as the fourth official.
CAF has also named a multi-national Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team to ensure fair play, with Abongile Tom (South Africa) as the primary VAR, supported by Haythem Guirat (Tunisia) and Stephen Onyango Yiembe (Kenya).
Lidya Tafesse Abebe from Ethiopia will serve as referee assessor, monitoring officiating standards.
“This appointment reflects CAF’s commitment to impartial and high-quality officiating in the decisive stages of the tournament,” a CAF spokesperson said.
Both teams enter the match with strong form, as Nigeria advances following a 2-0 quarter-final win over Algeria, while Morocco aims to leverage home advantage for a place in the AFCON final.
AFRIPOST reports that CAF’s careful selection of officials shows the importance of transparency and consistency in these high-stakes fixtures.