CAF names match officials for Nigeria vs South Africa/Benin World Cup qualifiers
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has named match officials for the Super Eagles of Nigeria 2026 World Cup qualification games vs South Africa and Benin Republic.
When the Super Eagles of Nigeria face off against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo next month, Chadian referee Alhadi Allaou Mahamat will be at the center of the action as Referee.
Alhadi Allaou Mahamat, aged 38, has been officiating in international competitions for over a decade, including prestigious tournaments like the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup. He recently officiated at the 34th Africa Cup of Nations held earlier this year in Cote d’Ivoire.
Assisting Mahamat on the field will be Sudanese official Mohammed Ibrahim Abdallah as assistant referee 1, Abelmiro Dos Reis Monte Negro from Sao Tome & Principe as assistant referee 2, and Pousri Armi Alfred from Chad as the fourth official. The match is scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. Nigerian time on Friday, June 7.
Ghanaian Munkaila Nassam Adam will serve as the commissioner for the match, while Egypt’s Ahmed Sayed Abou Elela will be the referee assessor.
In another World Cup qualifier match on Day 4, 43-year-old Ethiopian referee Bamlak Tessema Weyesa will officiate the Super Eagles vs. Cheetahs game at Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan. The match is set to begin on Monday, June 10th, at 4 p.m. local time (5 p.m. Nigeria time).
Weyesa, a renowned figure in African refereeing, will be supported by his compatriots Temesgin Samuel Atango and Tigle Gizaw Belachew as assistant referees 1 and 2, respectively, with Tewodros Mitiku serving as the fourth official. Burkina Faso’s David Yameogo will act as the commissioner, Ivorian Claude Elloh as the security officer, and Algerian Djamel Haimoudi as the referee assessor.
