FIFA has appointed Chadian official Alhadi Allaou Mahamat as the centre referee for the 2026 World Cup qualifying match between Lesotho and Nigeria’s Super Eagles.
Mahamat will be assisted by fellow Chadians: Bogola Issa as first assistant referee, Moussa Hafiz as second assistant, and Abdelkerim Ousmane as fourth official.
Kenyan official Alice Damaris Kimani was named referee assessor, while William Makinati Shongwe from Eswatini is the match commissioner.
The match is scheduled for Friday, 10 October 2025, at New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa. Kick-off is set for 6pm local time (5pm Nigerian time).
For context, Mahamat previously officiated Nigeria’s narrow 1-0 win over Rwanda in Uyo during Matchday 7 of the same qualifying series.
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Editorial
We view this appointment of Alhadi Allaou Mahamat as both strategic and symbolic. In critical fixtures like this, the referee’s precision, fairness, and calm under pressure become as important as the players’ performance. Mahamat has handled high-stakes matches before, and his experience with Nigeria adds a layer of familiarity that could help maintain control and fairness.
Referee teams are often under-scrutinised until errors happen, but the selection of a full, neutral Chadian crew suggests FIFA is prioritising consistency and neutrality. The presence of a strong assessor and match commissioner further underscores the importance of this game not just for result, but for procedure and standard.
Nigeria enters this match in a loaded position: needing a decisive performance, facing pressure from group rivals, and with qualification hopes still very much in the balance. With injuries forcing changes in personnel, having refereeing clarity becomes all the more important fewer distractions off the pitch allow more focus where it matters: tactical discipline, execution, and mental strength.
We believe that if Mahamat and his officiating team perform with transparency and professionalism, it sets a constructive tone not just for this match, but for what Nigeria needs in its remaining qualifiers. Every edge matters in such moments officiating integrity might be one of them.
Did You Know?
- Alhadi Allaou Mahamat is Chadian and has previously officiated Nigeria’s 1-0 win against Rwanda in Uyo in Matchday 7 of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
- The match between Lesotho and Nigeria is part of Matchday 9 of the qualifying series.
- The kick-off for the Lesotho vs Nigeria match is scheduled at 6pm South Africa time, which equates to 5pm in Nigeria.
- Together with the Chadian referees, Alice Damaris Kimani from Kenya will serve as referee assessor, and William Makinati Shongwe from Eswatini will serve as match commissioner.
- Nigeria is currently three points behind group leaders Benin Republic and South Africa in their World Cup qualifying group, making a win in this fixture especially crucial.
