The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has selected an all-Cameroonian officiating crew to oversee the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations Round of 16 match between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and the Mambas of Mozambique. Abdou Abdel Mefire, recognized as the youngest head referee at the 2025 tournament in Morocco, will take charge of the center on Monday evening.
The 29-year-old official brings recent high-level experience to the whistle, having successfully managed the high-tension group-stage encounter between hosts Morocco and Mali earlier in the competition.
Mefire leads a seasoned team of compatriots as the tournament shifts into the critical elimination phase. Elvis Noupoue and Carine Atezambong will serve as the assistant referees on the flanks, providing veteran expertise to support the young center official. The match is scheduled for the Complexe Sportif de Fès, a venue where the Super Eagles maintained a flawless record during their Group C campaign. Kickoff is officially set for 8:00 PM Nigerian time on January 5, 2026.
This fixture marks only the second time these two nations have met in the history of the AFCON finals. Their previous continental encounter occurred during the 2010 edition in Angola, where Nigeria secured a dominant 3-0 victory over the Mambas during the group stages. While the Super Eagles enter the game as heavy favorites following their perfect nine-point run in the opening round, Mozambique arrives with momentum after qualifying as one of the strongest third-placed teams from Group F.
Fans and analysts expect a disciplined tactical battle as Éric Chelle’s offensive-minded side looks to maintain its scoring streak against a resilient Mozambican defense. The appointment of the Cameroonian trio underscores CAF’s commitment to utilizing elite West African officiating for high-stakes knockout games. Nigeria intends to use this opportunity to replicate their 2010 success and advance toward a potential quarter-final showdown with either Algeria or the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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