Referee Dahane Beida will be in charge of the game today (©Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)
Referee Dahane Beida will be in charge of the game today (©Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)

AFCON 2025: Mystery referee switch rocks Morocco-Cameroon tie hours before kick-off

Reading Time: 1min | Fri. 09.01.26. | 16:45

According to L'Equipe, the host nation requested a change of the first official for their match against Cameroon (10 pm)

The tension surrounding the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarter-finals has just spiked.

In a surprising twist, less than 24 hours before kick-off, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has replaced the referee for the highly anticipated match between Morocco and Cameroon.

According to a report by L'Equipe, the officiating lineup has been shuffled at the eleventh hour following the request made by the hosts, the Moroccan federation. Egyptian referee Amin Omar, who was initially appointed to oversee the match, has been removed from the fixture.

The new official stepping in to take charge of this high-stakes encounter is Mauritanian referee Dahane Beida.

While official reasons for such late changes are rarely simple, the move adds an extra layer of intrigue to a game that was already promising to be a blockbuster. With the host nation facing the Indomitable Lions, the pressure on the officiating team will be immense.

All eyes will now be on Dahane Beida this Friday to see how he manages one of the tournament's biggest games after such short notice.

AFCON 2025 - ROUND OF 16

Friday

19.00: (6.90) Mali (3.65) Senegal (1.63)

22.00: (7.00) Cameroon (3.70) Morocco (1.63)

Saturday

19.00: (3.30) Algeria (3.15) Nigeria (2.45)

22.00: (3.30) Egypt (2.85) Ivory Coast (2.55)

***odds are subject to change***



tags

AFCON 20252025 Africa Cup of NationsMoroccoCameroon

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