The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Laryea to oversee the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 semi-final clash between Nigeria and Morocco.
CAF released the list of match officials for the high-stakes fixture on Tuesday. The Super Eagles will face the Atlas Lions at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium on Wednesday, with kickoff scheduled for 9:00 pm Nigerian time.
Nii Laryea will lead the officiating team, assisted by South Africa’s Zakhele Siwela and Lesotho’s Souru Phatsoane. Arsénio Maringule of Mozambique has been named the third assistant referee, while Rwanda’s Samuel Uwikunda will serve as the fourth official.
In the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) booth, Tom Abongile of South Africa, Haythem Guirat of Tunisia, and Stephen Yiembe of Kenya will be on duty, with Lydia Abebe appointed as the referee assessor for the match.
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Nigeria enters the semi-final on the back of a 2-0 victory over Algeria in the AFCON quarter-final. The Super Eagles had earlier crushed Mozambique in the second round and topped their group with a perfect nine points from three matches.
Eric Chelle’s side has been the tournament’s most prolific, scoring 14 goals and breaking Nigeria’s previous record for goals in a single AFCON campaign.
The fixture also reignites regional football rivalries. Nigeria and South Africa were grouped together during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, a period marked by tension after Nigeria secured FIFA sanctions against South Africa for fielding an ineligible player. The controversy drew comments from South Africa’s Minister of Sports, Gayton McKenzie, who publicly stated he does not want Nigeria to qualify for the World Cup.
The semi-final promises a competitive showdown between two of Africa’s football powerhouses, with CAF’s appointed officials tasked with ensuring fair play on the pitch.
