By Dayo Awoniyi
World football governing body FIFA has confirmed that Gabonese referee Pierre Ghislain Atcho will take charge of next Tuesday’s highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying clash between South Africa and Nigeria in Bloemfontein.
The Matchday 8 encounter, billed for the Toyota Stadium, is expected to be one of the most decisive fixtures in Group D as both teams continue their battle for a ticket to the global finals in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Atcho will be assisted by his compatriots Boris Marlaise Ditsoga (assistant referee 1), Amos Abeigne Ndong (assistant referee 2), and Cregue Fleury Moukagni (fourth official).
For technical oversight, the referee assessor role will be handled by Olivier Safari Kabene from the Democratic Republic of Congo, while Mike Letti of Uganda has been appointed as match commissioner.
Meanwhile, FIFA has also confirmed the officiating team for Nigeria’s Matchday 7 fixture against Rwanda this Saturday at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
Chadian referee Allaou Mahamat will take charge of the encounter, supported by assistants Bogollah Issa (assistant referee 1) and Moussa Hafiz (assistant referee 2), with Abdelkerim Ousmane serving as fourth official.
Taher Abdelsalam Mahmoud of Egypt has been named referee assessor, while Bakary Jammeh from The Gambia will serve as
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
