The Confederation of African Football has confirmed a dramatic late change to the officiating crew for the crucial Africa Cup of Nations 2025 quarterfinal showdown between Algeria and the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
Just hours before kickoff, CAF announced that Senegalese referee Issa Sy will now take charge of the high-profile encounter scheduled for Saturday, January 10, 2026, at the Marrakech Stadium, with kickoff set for 4pm Nigeria time.
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Issa Sy replaces Somali referee Omar Artan, who was originally appointed to officiate the match. In a statement released on Friday evening, CAF explained that the decision was taken to ensure full compliance with the tournament’s regulations and commercial guidelines.
The development followed earlier reports indicating that Artan was at risk of being withdrawn after appearing in football boots from a non-approved brand. CAF regulations strictly require match officials to wear equipment that aligns with the competition’s official sponsors, a rule the continental body enforces to protect its commercial agreements.
With time running out before kickoff, CAF moved swiftly to avoid controversy and confirmed Issa Sy as the new man in the middle.
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Full Match Officials for Algeria vs Nigeria
Issa Sy will be supported by a strong officiating team drawn from across the continent:
Djibril Camara of Senegal will serve as Assistant Referee One
Nouha Bangoura of Senegal will act as Assistant Referee Two
Gilbert Kipkoech Cheruiyot is the Third Assistant Referee
Peter Waweru Kamaku has been named Fourth Official
Pierre Ghislain Atcho will oversee duties as VAR
Stephen Onyango Yiembe is Assistant VAR One
Letticia Antonella Viana is Assistant VAR Two
Yahya Hadqa has been appointed Referee Assessor
Who Is Issa Sy
Born on July 22, 1984, Issa Sy is one of Africa’s most experienced referees. The Senegalese official has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2015 and has consistently officiated high-level international matches across CAF and FIFA competitions.
Sy has previously featured at two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. He handled one group stage match at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt and another at the 2022 edition in Cameroon, earning praise for his composure and control.
Beyond AFCON, Sy has officiated six CAF Champions League matches, two African qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and multiple international friendly fixtures. He was also selected for the 2023 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Argentina, where he took charge of two group-stage encounters.
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Issa Sy at AFCON 2025 So Far
At the ongoing AFCON 2025 tournament, Issa Sy has already officiated two group stage matches.
In Group B, he handled the clash between Egypt and Zimbabwe, a tightly contested match that ended 2-1 in favour of Egypt, during which he issued four yellow cards.
He was also the referee for the Group A fixture between Zambia and Morocco, a dominant 3-0 victory for Morocco where five yellow cards were shown.
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A Familiar Face for the Super Eagles
Interestingly, Issa Sy has officiated Super Eagles matches on three previous occasions, and Nigeria remains unbeaten in all of them.
During the 2019 AFCON qualifiers, he was in charge when Nigeria defeated the Republic of Benin 2-1. Victor Osimhen opened the scoring from the penalty spot, while Samuel Kalu added the second goal.
He also refereed Nigeria’s quarterfinal victory over Angola at the 2023 AFCON, where Ademola Lookman scored the decisive goal. Defender Calvin Bassey was shown a yellow card in that encounter.
In the qualifiers for the ongoing AFCON tournament, Sy was again the man in the middle when Nigeria played out a 1-1 draw against Benin on November 14, 2024, with Victor Osimhen once more finding the net for the Super Eagles.
Beyond AFCON and qualifiers, Issa Sy has also officiated matches at the FIFA Club World Cup and the FIFA Under-20 World Cup, further underlining his pedigree on the global stage.
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All Eyes on Marrakech
As the Super Eagles step onto the pitch at the Marrakech Stadium for one of their most important matches of AFCON 2025, the spotlight will not only be on the players but also on the officiating.
With Issa Sy’s history of Nigeria-friendly outcomes and his wealth of experience at major tournaments, fans will be watching closely to see whether his presence once again aligns with a positive result for the Super Eagles.
Will history repeat itself under Issa Sy’s watch, or will Algeria have the final say on the night? Time, as always, will tell.
