The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has once again left Nigerian match officials out of the officiating team for the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
Naija News reports that CAF has just released the names of 70 match officials who will oversee the 2025 CHAN slated for August 2 to 30, 2025, across three East African countries: Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
The roster features 26 referees, 26 assistant referees, and 18 Video Match Officials (VMOs) drawn from 30 different CAF member associations. Not a single Nigerian official made the list.
This omission continues a pattern of exclusion for Nigerian referees in major CAF tournaments, an issue that has sparked quiet debate in local football circles over the years.
Despite Nigeria’s reputation as a football powerhouse on the pitch, its representation off the pitch, particularly in refereeing, continues to be overlooked.
Note that CHAN, held every two years, is exclusively for players playing their trade in domestic leagues.
Meanwhile, on the women’s football front, the tension is building ahead of a blockbuster quarter-final clash between Nigeria’s Super Falcons and Zambia’s Copper Queens at the ongoing 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
Zambia captain and reigning African Footballer of the Year, Barbara Banda, has fired an early warning shot at the Falcons, asserting that her team has no fear heading into the high-stakes encounter.
“We are not scared, but we respect them because we know the game is 90-plus, so we are going to speak on the pitch. We want to hunt it,” Banda said during a press conference in Casablanca.
Zambia is eyeing back-to-back semi-final appearances at the continental showpiece. The Copper Queens secured a third-place finish at the last edition, beating Nigeria 1-0 in the bronze medal match.
While the Super Falcons cruised through Group B without conceding a single goal, questions remain about their consistency and creativity. Coach Justine Madugu’s side boasts some of Africa’s finest talents, but they will need to shift into higher gear to tame a confident Zambian side.
Note that the 2024 WAFCON semi-finals clash between the Super Falcons and Zambia will kick off at 5 p.m. later today, July 18.
The post CAF Snubs Nigerian Referees For 2025 CHAN, Zambia Captain Sends Message To Super Falcons appeared first on Naija News.