Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Laryea has been named to officiate the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations semifinal between hosts Morocco and Nigeria.
The high-profile match is set for Wednesday night at the Prince Moulay Abdallah Stadium in Rabat, with kick-off scheduled for 20:00 GMT, as the Atlas Lions face the Super Eagles for a place in the final.
Laryea will be supported by an experienced officiating team. South Africa’s Zakhele Thusi Granville Siwela will serve as Assistant Referee 1, while Souru Phatsoane of Lesotho will act as Assistant Referee 2. Mozambique’s Arsenio Chadreque Maringule has been named Assistant Referee 3.
CAF has also confirmed a robust VAR setup for the semifinal. South Africa’s Abongile Tom will serve as the main VAR, with Tunisia’s Haythem Guirat as Assistant VAR 1 and Kenya’s Stephen Onyango Yiembe as Assistant VAR 2. Former Ethiopian referee Lidya Tafesse Abebe will act as Referee Assessor for the match.
Laryea comes into the semifinal with an impressive record at the tournament. He served as VAR during Morocco’s intense quarter-final victory over Cameroon, overseeing several key decisions under pressure, and also officiated the group-stage match between Algeria and Burkina Faso as the centre referee, further establishing his growing reputation on the continental stage.
