AFCON 2025: FIFA Launches Probe After Nigeria Match Sparks Refereeing Storm
- FIFA has opened an investigation into refereeing during the Nigeria vs Algeria AFCON quarterfinal
- Senegalese referee Issa Sy is under scrutiny over multiple contentious calls during the AFCON clash
- Controversial officiating continues to overshadow AFCON 2025, including the Morocco-Senegal final
FIFA’s Referees Committee has officially launched a probe into the officiating of the highly charged 2025 Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal between Nigeria and Algeria.
The match ended in a 2-0 victory for the Super Eagles, booking their place in the semifinals.
Source: Getty Images
However, the Algeria Football Federation filed a formal complaint to FIFA, citing several contentious decisions that they believe unfairly influenced the outcome.
At the centre of the investigation is Senegalese referee Issa Sy, whose decisions during the match, including disciplinary calls and potential match-changing moments, are now under scrutiny.
Sources close to FIFA confirmed that the committee will review referee reports, video footage, and submissions from both federations to determine whether any decisions violated the rules or merited further disciplinary action.
This investigation highlights FIFA’s growing focus on accountability and transparency in officiating high-stakes international fixtures, especially in the AFCON.
Refereeing incident mars Nigeria’s victory
Nigeria advanced to the semifinals following a well-fought 2-0 win, but the victory has been marred by claims of inconsistent refereeing.
Algeria, historically a competitive AFCON side, argued that key incidents in the match could have changed the outcome had different calls been made.
Source: Getty Images
The probe places unprecedented pressure on Issa Sy, who now faces global scrutiny from officials and football analysts alike, which could affect his call-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
There were also more officiating chaos in the semifinal clash between Morocco vs Nigeria and the Egypt vs Senegal clashes as players were aggrieved at full-time with the match referees.
The incident has sparked wider discussions about refereeing standards in African tournaments and whether more technological interventions, such as VAR reviews, could prevent future disputes.
Officiating drama continues at the final
The controversy over poor officiating did not end with the Nigeria-Algeria match. AFCON 2025’s final between Morocco and Senegal was also rocked by refereeing decisions, beIN Sport reports.
A decisive penalty was awarded to Morocco following a shirt pull on Brahim Diaz in additional time during the crunch encounter in Rabat.
The decision prompted Senegal’s players to temporarily walk off the pitch in protest, halting the match for nearly ten minutes, BBC Sport reports.
Despite the drama, Senegal’s goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saved Díaz’s Panenka-style penalty, giving them a chance to regain momentum.
The Teranga Lions later scored the go-ahead goal during extra time, securing a tense 1-0 victory and claiming their second-ever AFCON trophy in front of a distraught Moroccan crowd.
Morocco hit with major CAF sanction
In another development, Legit.ng reported that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has taken decisive action against Moroccan supporters following an incident during the third-place play-off between Egypt and Nigeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations third-place match.
During the pre-match formalities, sections of the Moroccan crowd booed the Egyptian national anthem, an act that CAF immediately condemned as a breach of the tournament’s rules on respect and sportsmanship.
Source: Legit.ng
