Morocco vs Gabon: South African referee Abongile Tom appointed for AFCON 2027 qualifier

South African referee Abongile Tom has been appointed to officiate Morocco’s opening Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifier against Gabon on Friday.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) referees committee confirmed Tom’s appointment for the Group B encounter at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat.

The match is scheduled to kick off at 19:00 local time.

Morocco begin road to AFCON 2027

The fixture will mark Morocco’s first step towards qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

The Atlas Lions will be looking to make a strong start at home as they begin their campaign against a Gabon side containing several experienced players.

Morocco will enter the qualifiers after reaching the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on home soil.

Their attention now turns to securing qualification for the next edition of Africa’s premier international tournament.

Tom brings CAF experience

Tom has previously officiated matches in CAF competitions and will now take charge of a significant fixture in Morocco’s qualifying campaign.

His appointment puts the South African official at the centre of Morocco’s first competitive step towards the 2027 tournament.