The Algerian Football Federation has reportedly decided it will lodge an official complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA following the controversial refereeing decisions in their 2-0 quarter-final defeat to Nigeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The match, which sparked widespread debate across football circles, was officiated by Senegalese referee Issa Sy, with video technology supervised by Gabonese official Pierre Atcho Ghizlane.
According to reports from Algerian media outlet DZ, several key decisions during the match directly impacted Algeria’s performance. The most prominent grievance cited is the refusal to award a clear penalty in the ninth minute after a handball inside Nigeria’s penalty area, with neither the referee nor video review intervening.
Algeria also expressed dissatisfaction over yellow cards shown to players such as Ramez Zerrouki and Anis Hadj Moussa for minor infractions, while apparent fouls committed by Nigerian players went unpunished. Footage from the game further highlighted tensions, showing referee Issa Sy refusing to shake hands with Algeria’s Redouane Berkane after the match, while greeting Nigerian players.
Head coach Vladimir Petkovic and members of the national team have emphasised that these officiating errors disrupted Algeria’s rhythm and made it difficult for them to recover in the match.
In response, the Algerian Federation is preparing a formal complaint, which will include detailed technical reports supported by photos and video evidence to document the contentious decisions.
The federation is requesting a review of the referees’ performance, stronger measures to ensure fairness in continental competitions, and appropriate action against any official found negligent during the game.
This move signals Algeria’s determination to challenge what it sees as a flawed refereeing performance in one of AFCON 2025’s most high-stakes matches at the 2025 AFCON.
