The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed Dahane Beida from Mauritania as the center referee for the final showdown of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, slated to take place in Abidjan on Sunday.
In what promises to be a thrilling encounter, hosts Cote d’Ivoire will lock horns with Nigeria at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, on February 11, 2024.
Aged 32, Dahane Beida will officiate as the on-pitch referee for this pivotal match, marking his third appearance at this year’s AFCON.
Previously, he took charge of the match between Egypt and Mozambique, which ended in a 2-2 draw during the group stage, as well as the Round of 16 clash where Angola secured a resounding 3-0 victory over Namibia.
Emiliano Dos Santos from Angola and Diana Chicotesha from Zambia will assist Dahane Beida, while Morocco’s Bouchra Karboubi will serve as the fourth official.
Mahmoud Ashour from Egypt will assume the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) role, with Rivet Maria Pakuita from Mauritius as the Assistant VAR.
Beida boasts extensive refereeing experience, having officiated matches in prestigious competitions such as the U17 World Cup in New Zealand last year, as well as the second leg of the final of the CAF Confederation Cup 2022/23 between USM Alger and Young Africans in Algiers.
He has also been a fixture in the CAF Champions League, CAF Confederation Cup, and the African Football League. Additionally, he played a significant role in last year’s African Nations Championship held in Algeria.
Both Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire are vying for glory, with Nigeria aiming to secure their fourth title and Cote d’Ivoire eyeing their third championship victory.