Once again, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has opted not to enlist the services of Nigerian referees for officiating duties in the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
For the 34th edition of the tournament set to commence in Cote d’Ivoire next month, CAF has selected 32 referees from 19 countries. This marks the 18th consecutive year of Nigerian referees being overlooked since their last participation in the competition in 2006.
Among the chosen nationalities, Egypt and Morocco lead the pack with three representatives each heading to the AFCON, surpassing Algeria, Gabon, and Mauritania, which have two officials each.
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The selected referees also hail from Kenya, Ethiopia, DR Congo, Mali, Chad, Mauritius, Burundi, Djibouti, Lesotho, Somalia, Benin Republic, Madagascar, and Sao Tome and Principe.
Additionally, four Video Assistant Referees (VAR) from Morocco, Egypt, South Africa, and Mauritius have received call-ups for the 2023 AFCON, while Nigerian referees remain absent from major competitions in Africa and globally.
The 2023 AFCON finals are scheduled to take place from January 13 to February 11, 2024, with the Super Eagles placed in Group A alongside hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau.