CAF has confirmed the match officials for Morocco’s opening two AFCON 2027 Group A qualifiers, setting the stage for the September 2026 international window. The two fixtures, against Gabon and Lesotho, mark the start of Morocco’s campaign under coach Mohamed Wahbi, and the appointments have already drawn attention across Moroccan and regional football media. Morocco, nicknamed the Atlas Lions, will be looking to build on their strong football pedigree as they begin this qualification journey.
CAF’s officiating picks for Morocco’s opening AFCON 2027 qualifiers against Gabon and Lesotho are already stirring conversation among regional football media.
The opening match will see Morocco host Gabon at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on 25 September 2026, with kick-off set for 19:00 GMT, or 20:00 local time. This venue is one of several home stadiums Morocco regularly uses for competitive matches and major tournament qualifiers. South African referee Abongile Tom has been named as the center official for this fixture. Tom is regarded as one of CAF‘s elite referees and has been included in the officiating pool for the FIFA World Cup 2026, a reflection of the confidence CAF places in his judgment. He is known for working both as an on-field referee and as a VAR official in major African and international matches, giving him experience relevant to a high-stakes opener like this one. Morocco will face a Gabon side ranked around 84th in the FIFA rankings, in a group that also includes Niger and Lesotho.
Four days later, on 29 September, Morocco will travel to face Lesotho in what is officially an away fixture, though it will be played at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa, serving as Lesotho’s designated venue for this window. Kick-off is scheduled for 15:00 local time. Cameroonian referee Abdou Abdel Mefire will take charge as center official, continuing CAF’s approach of assigning neutral officials from outside the competing nations.
Both appointments come from CAF’s elite referee pool, made up of officials with continental and FIFA-level experience. While full details of the assistant referees, fourth officials, and VAR teams have not yet been made public, CAF’s standard practice involves rounding out each crew with two assistant referees and a fourth official, all drawn from the same high-level pool.
These early selections highlight CAF’s broader commitment to neutrality and regional balance in officiating assignments. With Morocco’s qualification campaign spanning six matches across the September, November, and March windows, the opening fixtures against Gabon and Lesotho will offer an early test of both the team’s form and the officiating standards CAF intends to uphold throughout the competition.
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