Benoît Ben Bado appointed referee for WAFU-B U17 final between Ivory Coast and Niger

Burkina Faso referee Benoît Ben Bado has been appointed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to officiate the WAFU Zone B U17 tournament final between Ivory Coast and Niger on Friday, October 23, 2026.

The final will take place at the Stade du 4-Août in Ouagadougou, with kick-off scheduled for 7:30 pm. Both teams have already secured qualification for the U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), making the match a contest for the regional title.

Ben Bado will lead the officiating team for the meeting between the two West African sides, with officials from Gambia, Togo and Ghana also appointed for the fixture.

Gambian referee Sait Ngallan and Togolese official Ourotou Wasiou will serve as assistant referees, while Ghanaian Selorm Yao Bless has been named as the fourth official.

CAF’s decision to appoint Ben Bado puts a Burkinabe referee in charge of the tournament’s decisive match, which will be played on home soil in the Burkina Faso capital.

The Stade du 4-Août will host the final as Ivory Coast and Niger look to finish their campaign by lifting the WAFU Zone B U17 trophy. Their places at the continental tournament have already been secured, meaning Friday’s encounter will determine the regional champion.

The appointment also brings together match officials from four West African countries for the final. Ben Bado will take responsibility as the head referee, supported by Ngallan and Wasiou on the touchlines, with Bless serving as the fourth official.

The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 pm on Friday, October 23, at the Stade du 4-Août in Ouagadougou.

With qualification for the U17 AFCON already confirmed for both finalists, attention now turns to the battle between Ivory Coast and Niger for the WAFU Zone B U17 title.