The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed a new referee for the highly anticipated 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarter-final between Nigeria and Algeria. Somali official Omar Abdulkadir Artan was removed after breaching tournament rules by wearing boots from a non-approved brand in a previous match.

CAF confirmed that the decision was in line with tournament regulations, ensuring fairness and compliance with official sponsorship agreements. Artan had previously been named Referee of the Year at the 2025 CAF Awards held in Rabat, Morocco.

The replacement referee is expected to be announced ahead of the quarter-final clash, which is scheduled to hold at the Grand Stade de Marrakech on Saturday. CAF officials emphasised that adherence to rules is crucial in maintaining the integrity of the competition.

Fans and football analysts are now waiting to see who will officiate the Nigeria vs Algeria match, with attention on how this change might affect the teams’ preparations for the last-eight showdown.