A brewing storm is gathering ahead of Nigeria’s crucial World Cup playoff clash with Gabon in Rabat, Morocco, on Thursday, November 13, 2025, following FIFA’s appointment of an all-South African officiating crew for the high-stakes encounter.
Top referee Tom Abongile has been named as the center referee for the match, with Zakhele Ensure Granville Siwela and Santos Doz of Angola assisting on the lines. Akhona Zennith Makalima, one of Africa’s most respected female officials, will head the VAR team, alongside Ahmad Imthaze and Packuita Gynquela from Mauritius. Hugues Alain Adjovi of Benin Republic will serve as Referee Assessor, while Prince Kai of Sierra Leone will act as Match Commissioner.
While the appointment was initially seen as a move to ensure transparency and uphold CAF’s officiating standards, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has expressed strong reservations, describing the decision as “conflict-prone and politically insensitive.”
Sources within the Glass House in Abuja revealed that the federation is preparing a formal protest letter to FIFA and CAF, citing concerns over neutrality and potential bias.
“We were quiet when most of our opponents played their home and away matches in South Africa,” an NFF official said anonymously. “But this appointment crosses the line. It compromises the spirit of fairness expected at this level.”
The controversy comes amid ongoing discontent over CAF’s handling of venue selections and match officiations in the African qualifiers. Critics within Nigeria’s football community argue that assigning a South African referee to oversee a match involving Nigeria — given both nations’ long-standing football rivalry and recent political frictions — could spark unnecessary tension.
Others have also questioned the experience of referee Abongile, a 33-year-old official who joined the FIFA list in 2020 and has handled only a handful of top-tier assignments, including CHAN 2022 and the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
“This choice smells of bias,” remarked a veteran sports analyst. “It’s provocative and potentially dangerous for a match of this magnitude.”
Despite the protests, football watchers note that Abongile and his team have built a reputation for calm authority and technical precision, and FIFA’s decision may be aimed at promoting consistency and regional balance in African officiating.
As tensions simmer, all eyes will be on Rabat, where Nigeria and Gabon will battle for a ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The match, scheduled for 5 p.m. Nigerian time, precedes the second semifinal between Cameroon and DR Congo later that evening. Winners from both fixtures will contest Africa’s final slot for the tournament set to be co-hosted in the Americas.