The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Laryea to officiate the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-final between Nigeria and Morocco.
CAF announced the list of match officials on Tuesday ahead of the highly anticipated encounter, which will take place on Wednesday night at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. Kick-off is scheduled for 21:00 local time in Nigeria.
Mr Nii Laryea will be assisted by Zakhele Siwela of South Africa and Souru Phatsoane of Lesotho. Mozambique’s Arsénio Maringule has been named as the third assistant referee, while Samuel Uwikunda of Rwanda will serve as the fourth official.
Video assistant referee (VAR) duties will be handled by Tom Abongile of South Africa, Haythem Guirat of Tunisia, and Stephen Yiembe of Kenya. Lydia Abebe has been appointed as the referee assessor for the match.
Both teams reached the last four amid intense competition. Nigeria booked its semi-final place with a 2–0 quarter-final victory over Algeria, a match that saw clinical finishing from Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams and sparked debate about officiating among fans and officials.
Morocco’s road to the semis included a confident 2–0 win over Cameroon, with standout performances from star forward Brahim Díaz, who has been among the tournament’s top scorers.
Despite strong results, CAF has faced scrutiny over match officiating across the tournament. The governing body has opened disciplinary investigations into violent incidents and protests by players and supporters following quarter-final matches including confrontations with referees after Nigeria’s win over Algeria. Officials have warned of sanctions for misconduct toward match officials and media personnel.
The semi-final represents a historic challenge for both nations. Nigeria’s Super Eagles are seeking to reach their ninth AFCON final and potentially win their fourth continental title, a feat they have not achieved since 2013. Morocco, meanwhile, aim to harness home-field advantage and progress to their first final since 2004.
