AFCON 2023: CAF Snubs Nigerian Referees for 18th Consecutive Year

• No Nigerian referee will officiate at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
• CAF has released a list of 32 referees for the competition next year
• AFCON 2023 is scheduled to be held from January 13 to February 11

Nigerian referees have been left off the Confederation of African Football (CAF) list for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, scheduled to be held from January 13 to February 11.

CAF has selected 32 referees from 19 countries for the 34th edition but Nigerian officials will miss the tournament for the 18th consecutive year since their last appearance at the 2006 competition.

According to BSN Sports, among the 19 selected nationalities, Egypt and Morocco each have three representatives heading to the AFCON ahead of their leading pursuers, Algeria, Gabon, and Mauritania, who have two officials.

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There are also referees from Kenya, Ethiopia, DR Congo, Mali, Chad, Mauritius, Burundi, Djibouti, Lesotho, Somalia, Benin Republic, Madagascar, and Sao Tome and Principe.

Four Video Assistant Referees (VAR) from Morocco, Egypt, South Africa, and Mauritius also received call-ups by CAF for the 2023 AFCON as Nigerian referees continue to be sidelined for major competitions in Africa and worldwide.

Toure snubs Nigeria for AFCON

Meanwhile, former Ivory Coast midfielder, Yaya Toure has downplayed Nigeria’s chances of winning AFCON 2023, set to be staged from January 13 to February 11, All Nigeria Soccer reports.

Toure, who is currently Saudi Arabia's assistant coach, named his country, defending champions Senegal, South Africa, Guinea-Bissau, and Morocco as the teams he considers as front-runners to win the upcoming tournament.

Toure, a four-time African Footballer of the Year recipient, was part of the Ivorian Elephants team that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2015 after finishing second in 2006 and in 2012.

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Oliseh blasts NFF over list

Sports Brief previously reported that Sunday Oliseh has accused the Nigeria Football Federation of trying to 'kill everything home-based' in reaction to the Super Eagles' 40-man provisional AFCON squad.

Jose Peseiro submitted his provisional list for AFCON 2023 to CAF with only Ojo Oluwasegun (Enyimba FC), Christian Nwoke (Sporting Lagos FC), and Obasogie Amas (Bendel Insurance) as home-based players.