The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has named 33 centre referees, 36 assistant referees, and 11 video assistant referees for its AFCON 2025 training program in Cairo, set for November 8–13, with no Nigerian officials included. This extends Nigeria’s absence from AFCON officiating to 19 years, since Emmanuel Imiere’s participation in 2006.The exclusion has been attributed to persistent issues in the Nigeria Football Federation’s referee development, including inadequate training structures and allegations of mismanagement. The news has triggered widespread criticism on social media, with fans voicing frustration over Nigeria’s failure to meet CAF’s officiating standards.
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