Nigeria Refereeing Chief Denies Claims of AFCON 2025 Snub

The President of the Nigeria Referees Association, Sani Zubairu, refuted allegations that Nigeria was overlooked for AFCON 2025 officiating roles. He explained that two Nigerian officials with FIFA badges were involved in the selection process but were not chosen.

Nigeria, a former AFCON champion, was left out of the list of 73 match officials, with countries like Ghana, Senegal, and Mali included. The selection process is described as rigorous, with Nigeria missing out on the tournament set to take place between December 21, 2025, and January 18, 2026, in Morocco.