Nigerian referee Joseph Odey Ogabor has been handed a major assignment after being selected to officiate the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying clash between DR Congo and Equatorial Guinea, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
The Group E encounter is scheduled for Thursday, September 24, at the Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecôte in Kinshasa as both nations begin their respective qualification campaigns.
Ogabor will be supported by compatriots Tejiri Besmart Digbori and Emmanuel Omada, appointed as Assistant Referee One and Assistant Referee Two, respectively. Another Nigerian, Grema Mohamed, will serve as the fourth official.
The appointment adds another international assignment to Ogabor's growing officiating career. The Nigerian regularly handles matches in the Nigeria Premier Football League and has also gained experience in CAF club competitions.
He recently took charge of the CAF Champions League preliminary-round encounter between Medeama and TP Mazembe, further adding to his continental experience.
The DR Congo and Equatorial Guinea fixture kicks off at 5:00pm local time in Kinshasa, with both sides looking to start their qualification campaign on a positive note.
CAF has confirmed that Group E contains DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe, with the top two teams qualifying for the 2027 AFCON finals.
Ogabor's appointment means Nigeria will have a representative among the match officials for one of the opening fixtures of the continental qualifying campaign.