FIFA Sparks Outrage with Appointment of South African Officials for Nigeria–Gabon World Cup Playoff

|By Babatunji Wusu

FIFA’s decision to appoint South African match officials for Nigeria’s crucial 2026 World Cup playoff against Gabon has ignited a storm of criticism across the Nigerian football community.

The world football governing body named Tom Abongile as the centre referee, Zakhele Siwela as assistant referee, and Akhona Makalima—also from South Africa—as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for the fixture.

The appointment has drawn backlash due to South Africa’s recent rivalry with Nigeria in the qualification series. The Bafana Bafana edged Nigeria to claim the automatic qualification spot in Group C, though they nearly lost the ticket after being penalized for fielding an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, against Lesotho.

The controversy deepened after South Africa’s Sports Minister, Gayton McKenzie, reportedly expressed his desire for Nigeria not to qualify for the World Cup. This has fueled suspicions of bias, with several Nigerian football stakeholders questioning FIFA’s neutrality and calling the appointments “provocative” and “unethical.”

The Super Eagles will battle the Panthers of Gabon in the semi-final playoff at El Barid Stadium, Rabat, next Thursday, in what promises to be a fiercely contested encounter.