Ugandan referee Duula Joshua to handle Olympic Eagles' U-23 AFCON qualifier in Lubumbashi Friday
Ugandan official Duula Joshua will referee the first leg of Nigeria's 2027 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations second-round qualifier against DR Congo this Friday, 13 November at TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi. Joshua leads an all-Ugandan on-field team: Brianson Musisi and Katerega Ashiraf as assistant referees, with William Oloya as fourth official. Central African Republic's Jean Marie Koyakobo serves as match commissioner, while Alain Brice Letokouzou acts as referee assessor.
The Olympic Eagles face a critical away test in Lubumbashi before hosting the reverse fixture on Tuesday, 17 November at the Remo Stars Sports Complex in Ikenne, Ogun State. This two-legged tie determines qualification for the continental tournament scheduled for 2027.
Referee appointments at this level often draw scrutiny given the high stakes—home advantage in African qualifiers can be decisive, and officiating consistency across both legs matters. Nigeria's U-23 setup, currently without head coach Eric Chelle who's with the Super Eagles, will rely on interim leadership.
Fans planning to attend the Ikenne return leg should note the Tuesday kickoff. The winner advances to the final qualifying round for the 2027 U-23 AFCON.