AFCON: Ghanaian Daniel Laryea to Officiate High-Stakes Nigeria-Morocco Semi-Final

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially entrusted the center whistle for the high-octane 2025/26 AFCON semi-final between Nigeria and host nation Morocco to Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Laryea. The 39-year-old FIFA-listed official, widely regarded as one of the continent’s most composed arbiters, will lead a multi-national team into the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat tonight, Wednesday, January 14, 2026. This appointment marks Laryea’s second major center-referee assignment of the tournament, following his disciplined handling of the group-stage clash between Algeria and Burkina Faso.

Laryea will be supported on the flanks by South Africa’s Zakhele Siwela and Lesotho’s Souru Phatsoane, while Rwandan Samuel Uwikunda will serve as the fourth official. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) room—a focal point of scrutiny following recent knockout drama—will be led by South Africa’s Abongile Tom. The choice of a Ghanaian referee for a Nigeria match has already sparked vibrant debate on social media, tapping into the historic “Jollof Derby” rivalry, but the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has moved to calm anxieties, expressing full confidence in the officials’ neutrality.

The tactical and emotional weight of this semi-final is immense, particularly for Morocco’s head coach, Walid Regragui. Facing a barrage of questions regarding his job security should the hosts fall to the Super Eagles, Regragui struck a defiant yet respectful tone during his pre-match press conference. “Every coach knows he must be prepared for the sack if he doesn’t win, but I’m not afraid,” he stated. Regragui, who famously led the Atlas Lions to a World Cup semi-final in 2022, is under pressure to deliver Morocco’s first AFCON final appearance in 22 years, describing the clash as a “final before the final.”

Nigeria enters the match as the tournament’s most prolific side, having hammered 14 goals past opponents. However, the Super Eagles will have to navigate this “North African hurdle” with a squad battling fatigue and the absence of influential midfielder Wilfred Ndidi. Regragui, meanwhile, warned his side not to let the Nigerians “catch their breath,” noting that the Super Eagles have a “deep bench” and a “consistent technical impact.” He also took the opportunity to defend the officiating standards on the continent, urging critics to stop fueling conspiracy theories about home-ground advantage.

The match, which kicks off at 9:00 PM Nigerian time, is expected to be a battle of attrition between Morocco’s technical possession game and Nigeria’s clinical attacking prowess. With the eyes of the continent on Rabat, the officiating team will be under as much pressure as the players to ensure the match is decided by brilliance rather than controversy. For Laryea, it is a career-defining opportunity to cement his legacy as Africa’s top official; for Regragui and Nigeria’s Eric Chelle, it is a high-stakes fight for a chance to lift the ultimate continental prize.