Daniel Nii Ayi Laryea, appointed on Tuesday, by the Confederation of African Football, to officiate the AFCON 2025 second semi-final clash by 9 p.m., on Wednesday, between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and hosts, the Atlas Lions of Morocco, has been a FIFA listed international referee since 2014.

Born on September 11, 1987, in Accra, Ghana, Mr Laryea is a former player and goalkeeper of Accra Academy, where he completed secondary school education, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Ghana Business School, and also a degree in Physical Education from the University of Education, Winneba.

Mr Laryea began refreeing in the Ghanaian lower division league at 17 in 2005, and 24, in 2012, he refereed his first Ghana Premier League match, before becoming a FIFA listed referee two years later.

Mr Laryea was also among referees appointed to officiate matches of the delayed 2020 African Nations Championship and the 2021 AFCON, both held in Cameroon, the 2018 CHAN in Morocco, and the 2017 CAF U-17 Cup of Nations in Gabon.

He also officiated the 2018 WAFU in Ghana, the 2021 Ghanaian FA Cup final between Hearts of Oak and the Ashanti Gold, and was Assistant Video Assistant Referee for the opening match between Algeria and Libya at the rescheduled 2022 African Nations Championship in Algeria.

He also officiated in the 2022 CAF Women’s Champions League in Morocco and was Assistant Video Assistant Referee for the 2022 CAF Women’s Champions League Final.

At the ongoing 2025 AFCON in Morocco, Mr Laryea refereed the Group E encounter between the Stallions of Burkina-Faso and the Desert Foxes of Algeria, which witnessed CAF fine the Burkinabe captain and former Chelsea star, Bertrand Traore $10,000, after appearing before a disciplinary committee to answer charges over his post-match remarks criticising the referee, which was ruled as offensive and contrary to the standards expected of a national team captain at a major continental tournament.

Mr Laryea’s integrity rapidly rose as Ghana’s top referee, which led him replacing disgraced referee Joseph Lamptey, who was banned for life by FIFA, for manipulating a 2018 World Cup Qualifier match between South Africa and Senegal.