By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
FIFA has appointed Chadian referee Alhadi Allaou Mahamat to take charge of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match between Nigeria and Lesotho.
The Matchday 9 fixture is scheduled for Friday, 10 October 2025, at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa.
Allaou, who previously officiated Nigeria’s 1-0 win over Rwanda in Uyo on Matchday 7, will be assisted by fellow Chadians Bogola Issa and Moussa Hafiz as assistant referees, with Abdelkerim Ousmane serving as the fourth official.
Kenya’s Alice Damaris Kimani has been appointed as the referee assessor, while eSwatini’s William Makinati Shongwe will serve as the match commissioner.
The Super Eagles, who missed out on qualification for the 2022 World Cup, currently trail Benin Republic and South Africa in their group and will be aiming for a vital win to revive their hopes of securing a place at the 2026 tournament.
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.
