The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has named Senegalese referee Issa Sy to officiate the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarter-final between Nigeria and Algeria in Marrakech on Saturday.

Sy replaces Omar Artan, whose initial appointment was withdrawn amid growing concerns over officiating controversies at the tournament.

The referee is no stranger to AFCON 2025, having served as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) during the group-stage match between Morocco and Tanzania. CAF hopes this move will ease tensions ahead of the high-stakes encounter.

The Super Eagles earned their spot in the quarter-finals with a convincing 4-0 victory over Mozambique, while Algeria edged past DR Congo 1-0 in extra time. Saturday’s match revives memories of the 2019 AFCON semi-final, which Algeria won 2-1 thanks to a late free-kick from Riyad Mahrez.

The clash is scheduled to kick off at 5pm Nigerian time.