Walid Regragui Dismisses Referee Bias Claims Ahead of AFCON 2025 Semi-Final Clash With Nigeria

Morocco head coach Walid Regragui has played down claims that the host nation enjoys favourable treatment from match officials, insisting his side does not need refereeing assistance to defeat Nigeria in Wednesday’s Africa Cup of Nations semi-final.

Speaking ahead of the highly anticipated encounter, Regragui confidently stated that Morocco are strong enough not only to overcome the Super Eagles but also to go on and lift the AFCON 2025 trophy on home soil.

“We’re the team to beat,” Regragui said. “As the team to beat, people will try to find all sorts of reasons to say Morocco has an advantage.”

The Moroccan tactician firmly rejected suggestions that referees have been biased in favour of his team because they are tournament hosts, dismissing insinuations that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is seeking to reward Morocco for successfully staging the competition.

Morocco’s recent role as hosts of several continental and global sporting events has fuelled speculation that CAF may favour them, a narrative further intensified after some controversial decisions went their way — including an unawarded late penalty claim by Tanzania during the round of 16.

With tension rising ahead of what many observers describe as Morocco’s toughest test of the tournament so far, Regragui was emphatic that his team’s only advantage would be the backing of their home supporters at the intimidating 70,000-capacity Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.

“Many people want to believe or make others believe that we have advantages from the referees,” he said. “As for the referees, I never talk about the referee.”

Nigeria are expected to face a hostile atmosphere on Wednesday, with analysts suggesting the partisan crowd could also exert pressure on CAF officials and match referees. However, Regragui maintained that Morocco’s performances on the pitch speak for themselves.

“We’re trying to play on that field. The statistics always show us as better than the others. We create far more opportunities than our opponents,” he added.

The former Atlas Lions defender also took a swipe at critics, suggesting that doubts surrounding Morocco’s campaign stem from a desire to see the hosts fail.

“I don’t think it’s fair play from those who want to see us fall. The best team will win this tournament, inshallah,” Regragui concluded.

Morocco and Nigeria will battle for a place in Sunday’s AFCON 2025 final, where either Senegal or Egypt awaits.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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