The Confederation of African Football has announced the list of match officials set to officiate the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025, that will take place from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.

A total of 73 highly experienced officials, comprising 28 referees, 31 assistant referees, and 14 VAR officials, have been appointed for this edition of Africa’s biggest football competition.

No Nigerian referee made the list.

The carefully selected officials represent all regions of the continent and include some of Africa’s most experienced referees, who have officiated across a number of major CAF competitions in recent years.

All appointed match officials are expected to arrive in Morocco on December 15, 2025, for an intensive preparatory course ahead of the competition.

The programme, which will be led by CAF’s Referees Department, will include physical, technical, and theoretical assessments designed to ensure optimum performance throughout the tournament.

This careful selection of highly experienced match officials underscores CAF’s continued commitment to refereeing excellence, competition integrity and CAF’s ongoing enhancements of technical standards across African football.

The Nigeria Aquatics Federation has confirmed that two of its brightest young swimmers, Olaiya Timileyin and Daniel Udoh, will represent the country at the upcoming 2025 Junior Open Water Championships in Guinea Conakry.

The pair have been in an intensive training camp in Lagos since early November as part of preparations supervised by the federation under its president, Dukwu Chamberlain.

They are scheduled to depart Nigeria on Thursday for the championships, which will run from Friday to Sunday.

Chamberlain said the event forms a key part of Nigeria’s wider build-up to the Africa Youth Games taking place in Angola from December 10 to 20.

He explained that exposing athletes to competitive action before the youth games is central to the federation’s long-term pathway for developing elite swimmers.

“Participation in competitive events ahead of the youth games reinforces our commitment to elite athlete development,” Chamberlain said.

“We believe that continental exposure sharpens competitive instincts and strengthens our performance outlook for future international engagements. These young swimmers have trained with focus and discipline, and they are ready to represent the country.”

He emphasised that open water competitions offer unique challenges that pool-based events do not, such as managing currents, maintaining rhythm in choppy waters and making tactical decisions in a less controlled environment.

He also noted that both swimmers have shown a strong sense of responsibility, professionalism and determination to excel at the continental level.

The athletes, the president said, will carry the country’s hopes “with pride, discipline and determination” as they continue their progression on the continental stage.

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Nigerian striker Joy Omewa has met the minimum points requirement to obtain a Governing Body Endorsement to play in the English Women’s Super League.
Despite not qualifying for an automatic pass, reserved for players who have featured in at least 80 per cent of Nigeria’s matches over the past one to two years, Omewa has accumulated the necessary 24 points through her club and continental performances.
The GBE system, designed to regulate the transfer of foreign players into the WSL, assigns points based on league quality, international appearances, continental competition, club performance, and continental progression.
Omewa secured 12 points from playing in Denmark’s Fortuna Hjorring, a Band 1 league in the system, where she appeared in 90–100 per cent of her team’s matches.
She earned two points from featuring in the UEFA Europa League, having played nearly every minute, and 10 points for helping Fortuna Hjorring win the domestic league last season, bringing her total to the exact threshold required to qualify.
Omewa’s eligibility comes as English topflight sides Brighton, West Ham, and Aston Villa reportedly line up to sign her during the January transfer window.
According to Soccerdonna, the women’s football equivalent of Transfermarkt, all three clubs are eager to strengthen their attacking line-up with the 22-year-old forward.
“Joy Omewa has attracted attention from the WSL, with West Ham, Brighton and Aston Villa wanting to sign her during the winter transfer window,” Soccerdonna reported.
“The three clubs are understood to be keen to bolster their attacking options with the 22-year-old forward.”
The Nigerian striker has been in exceptional form for Fortuna Hjorring this season, scoring 13 goals in 14 league appearances and helping her team sit second in the A-Liga behind HB Koge.
She has also netted three goals in the Women’s Champions League before elimination by St. Polten and followed that with four goals in four UEFA Women’s Europa Cup matches. Last season, she scored 25 goals across competitions to help Fortuna Hjorring secure a domestic and cup double, finishing as the league’s top scorer and being named Player of the Season.
Her prolific record would provide a significant boost to any of the three interested WSL sides. Aston Villa and Arsenal have struggled to convert chances this season, drawing four matches and missing numerous opportunities, while Brighton face attacking shortages following Michelle Agyemang’s season-ending ACL injury. West Ham have scored just six goals in nine WSL games, sitting second from bottom with only one win.
Omewa’s anticipated move highlights the growing demand for Nigerian talent in the WSL, which already includes Chiamaka Nnadozie at Brighton, Tony Payne at Everton and Rofiat Imuran at London City Lionesses.

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