Simple rotation or genuine disciplinary sanction? The Confederation of African Football (CAF) surprised more than one observer by not retaining any of the referees who officiated during the quarter-finals for the semi-finals of the 2025 AFCON.

Senegalese referee Issa Sy, who officiated the Nigeria-Algeria match (2-0), is unsurprisingly not among the appointed officials. This absence was predictable, as his country is still in contention in the competition. His appointment for the Senegal-Egypt clash was unthinkable, and his presence in the other match, Nigeria-Morocco, would also have been controversial, given that the winner could face the Lions of Teranga in the final.

The same fate befell Mauritanian referee Beida, heavily criticized after his performance in the Morocco-Cameroon match (2-0). The controversial decisions he made during that game clearly played a role in his decision. South African referee Victor Gomes Tom, who officiated the Mali-Senegal quarter-final (0-1), will also not be the referee in the semi-final, but will remain involved as a VAR official for the Nigeria/Morocco match.

Algerian Mustapha Ghorbal, considered one of the best referees on the continent, was also not among those selected. He officiated the Egypt/Ivory Coast match (3-2). Despite his reputation, the controversies that arose after Algeria's elimination seem to have prompted CAF to exercise caution by opting for referees from other federations.

For the semi-finals, CAF has finally chosen Gabonese referee Pierre Atcho to officiate the Senegal-Egypt match, while Ghanaian Daniel Laryea will take charge of Nigeria-Morocco. This appointment is somewhat surprising, as Laryea has only refereed one match since the start of the tournament, in the group stage, the Algeria-Burkina Faso game (1-0). These appointments are already fueling debate as the competition enters its decisive phase.