FIFA Appoints Gabonese Officials For South Africa vs Nigeria World Cup Qualifier
2 min read
By Sportsgister
World football-governing body, FIFA, has confirmed the appointment of Gabonese referee Pierre Ghislain Atcho to officiate the highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying showdown between South Africa and Nigeria next Tuesday.
The encounter, which is billed as a crucial Matchday 8 fixture in the African qualification series, will take place at the Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein.
Atcho, one of Africa’s well-regarded referees on the FIFA roster, will be assisted by a full team of compatriots. Boris Marlaise Ditsoga has been named as Assistant Referee 1, Amos Abeigne Ndong as Assistant Referee 2, while Cregue Fleury Moukagni will serve as the Fourth Official.
In addition, Olivier Safari Kabene from the Democratic Republic of Congo has been appointed as the Referee Assessor, while Mike Letti of Uganda will serve as the Match Commissioner.
Before that decisive encounter in South Africa, the Super Eagles of Nigeria will face Rwanda in Uyo this Saturday in their Matchday 7 clash at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium. FIFA has appointed officials from Chad to take charge of that fixture.
Allaou Mahamat will be the Center Referee, assisted by compatriots Bogollah Issa (Assistant Referee 1), Moussa Hafiz (Assistant Referee 2), and Abdelkerim Ousmane (Fourth Official).
The officiating team for the Uyo clash will also include Egyptian official Taher Abdelsalam Mahmoud as the Referee Assessor, while Bakary Jammeh from The Gambia will act as the Commissioner.
These appointments underscore FIFA’s efforts to ensure neutrality and professionalism in the handling of Africa’s fiercely contested World Cup qualifiers, as teams battle for spots at the 2026 FIFA World Cup jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Currently, Nigeria sits third in Group C, trailing leaders South Africa, making both fixtures pivotal for the Super Eagles’ qualification hopes.
Sedara Philip is a Sports writer, an administrator,Journalist,and editor
