Dahane Beida to Referee Nigeria vs Tanzania AFCON Opener
Mauritanian referee Dahane Beida has been appointed as the centre referee for Nigeria’s opening match at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations against Tanzania on Tuesday.
The Super Eagles will begin their bid for a fourth AFCON title at the Complexe Sportif de Fès in Morocco. Ahead of the match, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed that the 33-year-old Beida will take charge of the game.
Beida is a FIFA-listed referee and is regarded as one of the top officials in Africa. However, his appointment has raised some concerns among Nigerian fans because of past results.
Beida’s history with Nigeria
Beida has officiated many major matches for both FIFA and CAF. He handled three games at the 2024 Olympic Games, including two matches involving eventual champions Spain.
He also worked at the FIFA Club World Cup, where he refereed games featuring top European teams such as Real Madrid and Inter Milan.
However, Beida is remembered by Nigerian fans for refereeing the 2023 AFCON final between Nigeria and Ivory Coast, which Nigeria lost 2–1. His performance was seen as average, with a few debatable decisions, but he was not blamed for the defeat.
Despite these memories, Nigeria are still strong favourites to beat Tanzania. The Super Eagles will be hoping to put the past behind them and start their campaign in Morocco with a convincing win.
