FIFA has officially named Gabonese referee Pierre Ghislain Atcho as the match official for the crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and South Africa, set to take place in Bloemfontein.
The high-stakes encounter, scheduled for Tuesday at the Toyota Stadium, will be the eighth matchday of the African qualification series.
In its announcement, FIFA confirmed: “Gabonese official Pierre Ghislain Atcho will referee the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match between Nigeria and South Africa on Tuesday in Bloemfontein.”
Atcho will be supported by a team of compatriots: Boris Marlaise Ditsoga as Assistant Referee 1, Amos Abeigne Ndong as Assistant Referee 2, and Cregue Fleury Moukagni as the Fourth Official.
Further oversight roles were also detailed in a September 5 release from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF): Olivier Safari Kabene of the Democratic Republic of Congo will serve as the Referee Assessor, while Mike Letti from Uganda has been appointed as the Match Commissioner.
The fixture is widely regarded as one of the defining games in the African qualifiers, with both Nigeria and South Africa aiming for a crucial win to boost their chances of reaching the 2026 World Cup.
Atcho, who has officiated numerous CAF Champions League matches, is expected to bring experience and neutrality to what promises to be a tense and fiercely contested match.
