The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed a Gabonese officiating team for the CAF Champions League preliminary-round first-leg encounter between FC San Pedro of Côte d’Ivoire and Rivers United of Nigeria.

Gabonese referee Cregue Flaury Moukagni has been selected as the centre referee for the keenly anticipated clash, scheduled for Saturday, September 5, 2026.

Moukagni will be assisted by compatriots Amos Abeigne Ndong and Junior Assoughe, while Pierre Ghislain Atcho has been appointed as the fourth official.

The match commissioner will be Beninese official Innocent Atindehou, with Algerian Mohamed Lamine Benaissa serving as the referee assessor.

The encounter will take place at the Laurent Pokou Stadium in San Pedro, with kick-off scheduled for 4:00pm local time in Côte d’Ivoire, corresponding to 5:00pm Nigerian time.

The fixture is the first leg of the first preliminary round of the 2026/27 CAF Champions League, with both clubs looking to secure an advantage before the return encounter.

For Rivers United, the tie represents the beginning of their latest quest to make an impact on Africa’s premier inter-club competition.

The Nigerian club will be hoping to return home from Côte d’Ivoire with a positive result before turning their attention to the decisive second leg.

San Pedro, meanwhile, will be looking to capitalise on home advantage and put themselves in a strong position ahead of the return fixture.

With the stakes high from the opening whistle, the performance of the Gabonese officiating team will also come under close scrutiny as both sides battle for an early advantage in the continental competition.

The Rivers United delegation will now focus on delivering a disciplined performance in San Pedro as the Nigerian representatives begin their Champions League campaign on the road.