Nigeria’s top referees are flying the country’s flag proudly on the international stage once again, as four officials have been selected to handle the FIFA World Cup 2026 African Qualifiers match between The Gambia and Gabon at the iconic Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya.
The experienced team, led by Dr. Joseph Ogabor Odey, will take charge of the Match Day 9 Group F fixture scheduled for this afternoon. Dr. Ogabor will serve as the centre referee, assisted by Abdulmajeed Olaide Usman (Assistant Referee 1), Muhamud Yakubu Muhammad (Assistant Referee 2), and Salisu Basheer (Fourth Official).
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The match is one of the key fixtures in the African zone of the FIFA World Cup 2026 preliminary competition, as both The Gambia and Gabon continue their push for a place in the qualification.
The officials successfully defended their FIFA international refereeing badges on October 2, 2025, at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja, in the FIFA Badge defence, physical fitness test organized by the NFF Referees Committee to reaffirm their elite status among Africa’s top referees.
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Also on duty are Mehdi Abid Charef from Algeria, who will serve as the Referee Assessor, and Sidi Békaye Magassa from Mali, who has been appointed as the Match Commissioner.
The Nigerian referees arrived safely in Nairobi on Wednesday and have since completed their pre-match technical briefings. They are expected to deliver another professional and fair officiating performance as the continent’s focus turns to this crucial Group F clash.
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Their appointment once again highlights Nigeria’s growing reputation for producing quality match officials trusted by FIFA and CAF for high-stakes international fixtures.
