Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Laryea has been appointed to officiate the high-profile 2025 Africa Cup of Nations semifinal between hosts Morocco and Nigeria.
The blockbuster encounter is scheduled for Wednesday night at the Prince Moulay Abdallah Stadium in Rabat, with kick-off set for 20:00 GMT, as the Atlas Lions face the Super Eagles for a place in the final.
Laryea will be supported by an experienced officiating team. South Africa’s Zakhele Thusi Granville Siwela will serve as Assistant Referee 1, while Souru Phatsoane of Lesotho will act as Assistant Referee 2. Mozambique’s Arsenio Chadreque Maringule has been named Assistant Referee 3.
Rwandan official Samuel Uwikunda will take charge as Fourth Official, overseeing technical area conduct and substitutions.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has also confirmed a strong Video Assistant Referee (VAR) set-up for the semifinal. South Africa’s Abongile Tom will serve as the main VAR, assisted by Tunisia’s Haythem Guirat as Assistant VAR 1, with Kenya’s Stephen Onyango Yiembe as Assistant VAR 2.
Highly respected former Ethiopian referee Lidya Tafesse Abebe has been appointed Referee Assessor for the match.
Laryea comes into the semifinal with an impressive record at the tournament. He previously served as VAR during Morocco’s tense quarter-final victory over Cameroon, where several key decisions were reviewed under intense pressure. The Ghanaian referee also officiated the group-stage clash between Algeria and Burkina Faso as centre referee, further highlighting his growing stature on the continental stage.
