The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has named Ghana’s Daniel Nii Ayi Laryea as one of the referees for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. His selection is a significant honor, both for him personally and for Ghanaian football, as he will be the only referee from Ghana at the tournament.
This appointment is a testament to his consistent performance, experience, and the high regard in which he is held by CAF’s refereeing committee.
Profile Information
Nationality: Ghanaian
Role: Referee (Center Referee)
CAF Category: Top-tier (Elite) Referee
FIFA Badge: ( FIFA listed referee since 2013)
Significance of His Selection
In a tournament featuring the best national teams and officials from across Africa, being the only one selected from his country underscores his status as Ghana’s premier referee.
Recognition of Quality: CAF only selects the most reliable and technically proficient officials for its flagship tournament. Laryea’s inclusion confirms he meets these high standards.
Continuity of Ghanaian Refereeing: He follows in the footsteps of legendary Ghanaian referees like Joseph Odartei Lamptey (before his ban) and more recently, Charles Bulu, maintaining Ghana’s presence at the highest level of African refereeing.
Recent Experience and Path to AFCON 2025
Daniel Laryea is no stranger to high pressure CAF assignments. In the lead-up to his AFCON 2025 selection, he officiated in:
CAF Champions League: Regularly assigned to group stage and knockout matches.
CAF Confederation Cup: Handled crucial fixtures in Africa’s second-tier club competition.
AFCON 2023 Qualifiers: Officiated several qualifying matches for the previous tournament.
2025 AFCON Qualifiers: He was also active in the qualifiers for the very tournament he will officiate in, including a high-profile match like Senegal vs. Sudan in November 2023.
His performance in these competitions provided the proving ground for his selection for the final tournament in Morocco.
Refereeing Style
Laryea is generally known for:
Good Fitness: Keeping up with the pace of the modern game.
Firm Game Management: He aims to control the match and not let emotions boil over unnecessarily.
Experience in High Pressure Environments: Having officiated in volatile club matches across Africa, he is well equipped to handle the intensity of an AFCON.
Challenges and Expectations
As the only Ghanaian referee, there will be pressure on him to perform exceptionally well. His performance will be closely watched. The ultimate goal for any referee at a major tournament is to be trusted with a knockout-stage match or even the final, and Laryea will be aiming for that.
Daniel Laryea’s appointment to AFCON 2025 is a proud moment for Ghana and a deserved recognition of his hard work and competence as one of Africa’s top referees.