The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released its official list of match officials for the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), notably excluding Nigerian referees from the selection.
In the announcement made on Wednesday, CAF named a total of 58 officials comprising 29 center referees and 29 assistant referees who will officiate at the biennial tournament reserved exclusively for players competing in their domestic leagues.
The omission of Nigerian officials comes as countries like Morocco and Algeria each secured two center referee positions on the prestigious list, highlighting a concerning gap for Nigerian football officiating at continental competitions.
The 2024 CHAN tournament will be jointly hosted by three East African nations - Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda - marking a significant sporting event for the region. The competition is scheduled to run from August 2 to August 30, 2025.
This development follows a different pattern from other CAF competitions, as Nigerian referees were recently included in the officiating team for the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, showing varying levels of representation across different tournaments.
The CHAN tournament differs from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in that it features only players who compete in their respective domestic leagues, making it an important showcase for talent that might otherwise not receive international exposure.
While the Nigerian Football Federation has not yet commented on the exclusion, the announcement raises questions about the visibility and recognition of Nigerian referees in continental competitions.
