Algeria has officially lodged a complaint with CAF over refereeing decisions in their AFCON 2025 quarter-final defeat to Nigeria, citing unfair officiating and controversial calls.
The team and country believe that this influenced the outcome of the match, which saw them drop out of the AFCON 2025 tournament.
Algeria’s Grievances Against Refereeing
The Algerian Football Federation (FAF) confirmed that it has submitted a formal petition to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA following their 2-0 loss to Nigeria in Marrakech.
The Desert Foxes argued that several key decisions by Senegalese referee Issa Sy unfairly disadvantaged them.
Among the complaints was a first-half handball incident involving Nigerian defender Semi Ajayi, which Algeria felt should have resulted in a penalty.
The referee waved play on, sparking outrage from Algerian players and fans. They also pointed to what they described as biased officiating in 50-50 challenges, claiming that Nigeria benefited from leniency while Algerian players were penalized harshly.
Additionally, Algeria expressed frustration over the lack of consistency in VAR usage. According to reports, video technology was available but not applied to review the contentious handball, further fueling accusations of unfair treatment.
Tensions Spill Over After Defeat
Nigeria’s goals from Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams sealed their place in the semi-finals, but the aftermath was marred by heated confrontations.
Algerian players surrounded the officials at the final whistle, with goalkeeper Luca Zidane among those visibly protesting. The FAF later condemned the post-match clashes but maintained that the officiating had been “damaging” to their chances.
In their official statement, Algeria listed three major grievances and demanded disciplinary action against referee Issa Sy. They argued that the integrity of the competition was compromised and called for CAF to investigate the standard of officiating at AFCON 2025.
CAF has since confirmed that its Disciplinary Board has opened an investigation into incidents during the quarter-finals, including the Algeria-Nigeria clash.
While Nigeria’s victory remains valid, the controversy has sparked wider debate about refereeing standards in African football.
As Nigeria march on to the semi-finals, the Desert Foxes leave AFCON 2025 with lingering bitterness. Whether CAF takes disciplinary action or acknowledges the grievances, the episode underscores the growing demand for transparency and consistency in refereeing at major tournaments.
