The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the officiating team for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying encounter between Ghana and The Gambia.
Moroccan referee Mustapha Kechchaf has been appointed to take charge of the Group C fixture, which is scheduled to be played at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday, September 29, 2026.
The match is set to begin at 4:00pm local time, with the Black Stars looking to continue their campaign for a place at the 2027 AFCON tournament.
Kechchaf will be supported by a multinational officiating team for the important qualifying fixture. His compatriot Lahsen Azgaou has been selected as the first assistant referee, while Tunisia’s Yassine Saadaoui will serve as the second assistant referee.
Another Tunisian official, Amir Loucif, has been named as the fourth official.
The match commissioner will be Sekou Wieh Konneh of Liberia, while Nigeria’s Abel Baba has been appointed as the referee assessor.
Ghanaian official Danny Adotey will take up the role of Broadcast Venue Manager for the encounter.
Late change to referee appointment
CAF’s selection of Kechchaf represents a change from the original appointment for the match.
Moroccan referee Jalal Jayed was initially scheduled to officiate the encounter, but he was subsequently withdrawn after being declared unavailable.
CAF then appointed fellow Moroccan Kechchaf as his replacement, while the rest of the officiating team remained unchanged.
The late adjustment has not affected preparations for the Group C fixture, with both national teams continuing their preparations for the encounter in Accra.
Ghana prepare for home qualifier
The Black Stars will enter the match after their opening Group C fixture against Côte d’Ivoire.
Ghana’s schedule for the international window also includes an international friendly against Morocco after the two AFCON qualifying matches. The Ghana Football Association confirmed that Carlos Queiroz selected a 24-man squad for the qualifiers against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia, as well as the Morocco friendly.
The squad includes the return of Mohammed Kudus, who missed Ghana’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign because of injury. The Tottenham midfielder is among the players expected to play an important role in Ghana’s latest qualifying campaign.
The GFA has confirmed that Ghana will host The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 29, with kick-off scheduled for 4:00pm.
The Gambia begin AFCON qualifying campaign
The Gambia will also be seeking a positive result as the Scorpions begin their Group C campaign.
The qualifying competition features 48 nations divided into 12 groups of four teams. Qualification will ultimately determine the teams that join the tournament hosts — Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda — at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
For Ghana and The Gambia, the Accra meeting represents an important opportunity to collect points early in the qualifying race.
With CAF having now confirmed the complete officiating team, attention will turn to the players and coaching staffs as both sides prepare for the September 29 encounter.
The appointment of Kechchaf means a Moroccan referee will oversee the fixture, supported by officials from Morocco, Tunisia, Liberia, Nigeria and Ghana.
The match is expected to attract significant attention in Ghana as the Black Stars continue their push toward the 2027 AFCON finals.
For The Gambia, meanwhile, the encounter provides an opportunity to make an early impression in Group C and challenge Ghana on its home ground.
With the officiating arrangements settled, both teams can now focus fully on their preparations ahead of Tuesday’s 4:00pm kick-off in Accra.
