Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has been removed from officiating the quarter-final encounter between Nigeria and Algeria, DAILY POST reports.
The Confederation of African Football, CAF, reportedly took the decision after it was discovered that Artan wore boots from a brand not approved by the tournament’s official sponsors during an earlier game.
The arbiter’s action breached CAF’s rules, hence the decision to remove from the highly anticipated encounter.
Artan was named Referee of the Year at the 2025 CAF Awards in Rabat, Morocco.
CAF is now expected to name a replacement for the last-eight contest.
The encounter is slated for the Grand Stade de Marrakech on Saturday.