Football fans have expressed outrage following the appointment of an all-South African officiating crew for Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualifier clash against Gabon.
According to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the high-stakes encounter will be handled by Tom Abongile from South Africa as the centre referee, assisted by his compatriot Siwela Zakhele Thusi Granville as assistant referee.
Akhona Zennith Makalima, also from South Africa, will take charge of the VAR duties.
The referee assessor, Hugues Alain Adjovi, is from Benin Republic, CAF confirmed.
The decision has sparked mixed reactions among Nigerian supporters, many of whom have taken to social media to question the neutrality of appointing officials from South Africa — a football rival of Nigeria on the continent.
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“CAF needs to do better. How can they appoint South Africans to officiate a Nigerian match? There’s potential bias written all over this,” one fan wrote on X.
The Super Eagles are set to face Gabon in a crucial World Cup qualifier, with Nigeria aiming to bounce back from a slow start in their campaign.
The match promises to be a tense affair, with fans now keeping a close eye not only on the players — but also on the referees.