FIFA Appoints Referees for Super Eagles' Crucial 2026 WCQ Against Lesotho, Benin
- FIFA has announced the match officials to take charge of Super Eagles matches during the October international break
- The Super Eagles of Nigeria will face Lesotho in Durban, South Africa, before hosting neighbours Benin Republic, in Uyo
- The two matches are must-win games if the three-time African champions want to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
FIFA has appointed match officials for the Super Eagles' 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier games during the October international break.
Nigeria faces must-win matches against the Crocodiles of Lesotho and the Leopards of Benin Republic on the final matchdays of the qualifiers.
Source: Getty Images
Both games are crucial to Nigeria's resuscitated ambition to qualify for the 2026 World Cup in the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico.
Group C is wide open after FIFA sanctioned South Africa with a three-point deduction over Teboho Mokoena's ineligibility against Lesotho in March.
Bafana Bafana appeared to have gotten away with that technical gaffe before FIFA acted ex officio and hit the group leaders with a detrimental punishment.
The deduction means that five teams can still mathematically qualify from that group, including Lesotho, which received the three points for their neighbour’s mistake.
Benin Republic leads the group with 14 points on goal difference, tied with South Africa, which also has 14 points. Nigeria and Rwanda are tied on 11 points.
Lesotho has nine points while the other COSAFA team in the group, the Warriors of Zimbabwe, are out of the race with four points from eight games.
The teams have intensified their preparations and will battle hard as the group is unlikely to produce a playoff spot because of their points difference to other groups.
FIFA appoints referees for Super Eagles' games
World football governing body, FIFA, has appointed match officials for the final two matchdays of the CAF qualifying series for the 2026 World Cup.
According to the NFF, Chadian official Alhadi Allaou Mahamat will oversee the matchday nine encounter at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on October 10, 2025.
He will work with his compatriots, Bogola Issa and Moussa Hafiz as assistants and Abdelkerim Ousmane as the fourth official. Kenya’s Alice Damaris Kimani is the referee assessor, Eswatini’s William Makinati Shongwe is the match commissioner.
Allaou was in charge of Nigeria's matchday seven 1-0 win over the Amavubi of Rwanda at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
Source: Getty Images
According to Punch, Egyptian official Amin Mohamed will be the centre referee for the final match against Benin Republic in Uyo on October 14.
His compatriots Mahmoud Ahmed Kamel Ahmed Aboulergal and Ali Ahmed Tawfik Teleb will assist him, while Moustafa Elbana Mahmoud Zakaria Mohamed is the fourth official.
Jason Joseph Damoo from Seychelles will be the referee assessor, while Prosper Harrison Ado will be the match commissioner.
Hull City coach sends message to Eric Chelle
Legit.ng reported that Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirovic sent a message to Eric Chelle over Semi Ajayi’s fitness during the international break.
The defender has played only eight minutes since recovering from a hamstring injury, but was invited for the matches against Lesotho and Benin Republic.
Source: Legit.ng
