The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has removed Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan from officiating Nigeria’s quarter-final match against Algeria. The decision comes after Artan was found wearing boots from a brand not approved by the tournament’s official sponsors during a previous game, which violated CAF rules.

Artan, who was named Referee of the Year at the 2025 CAF Awards in Rabat, Morocco, had been scheduled to oversee the highly anticipated encounter. CAF stated that such breaches are taken seriously to maintain fairness and compliance with tournament regulations.

CAF is expected to announce a replacement referee ahead of the Saturday match, which will take place at the Grand Stade de Marrakech. The quarter-final tie has drawn significant attention as both teams aim to advance to the semi-finals.

Despite the change in officiating, the Super Eagles and Algeria teams are preparing to give their best on the field, with fans eagerly awaiting the outcome of this pivotal AFCON 2025 encounter.