The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unveiled a list of 85 referees ahead of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The list is comprised of center referees, assistant referees, Video Assistant Referees (VARs), technical instructors, physical trainers, VAR technicians, and IT support for a preparation course.

According to a document titled, “List of Selected Referees to TotalEnergies AFCON Preparation Course”, referees from about 25 countries were listed to take part in the course that will serve as a refresher for AFCON 2023 officiating officials.

Sierraloaded, however, observed that no Sierra Leonean referee was included on the list.

Sierra Leonean referees have received less call-up to international matches in recent decades despite progress in their country’s domestic league.

Two North African countries, Egypt and Algeria, have the highest number of names penned down in the center referees list (three each) as Morocco, Mauritania, and Mauritius have two each; other countries featured on the list are Gabon, Ghana, Benin, Congo, Somalia, and a host of others.

Morocco, Kenya, Cote D’Ivoire, Algeria, Egypt, and South Africa have two names each on the assistant referees list, with little-known Comoros, Djibouti, Burkina Faso, Sao Tome and Principe featuring amongst other countries.

Four VAR referees are selected from Mauritius, South Africa, Morocco and Egypt. Seven technical instructors and physical trainers from Zimbabwe, Burundi, Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal, Morocco, and Djibouti were selected.

The Leone Stars of Sierra Leone will not be among the 24 countries competing for the title at the 2023 AFCON finals schedule to hold from January 13 to February 11, 2024.