The appointment of Pierre Ghislain Atcho to referee the first leg match between Algeria and Togo brings back unpleasant memories for Algerian supporters. The Gabonese referee was at the center of controversies with the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) during the 2023 and 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, while serving as a Video Assistant Referee (VAR). His designation as the main referee for this upcoming encounter has therefore drawn particular attention.
The first leg match between the Fennecs and the Hawks is scheduled for Saturday, November 14, 2026, at the Hocine Aït Ahmed Stadium in Tizi Ouzou. For this CAF Champions League qualifier for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has selected this Gabonese official, whose previous interventions in Algeria's matches have sparked strong criticism.
Algeria-Burkina Faso, a first controversy in 2024
The first incident dates back to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, held in Ivory Coast in January 2024. During the second day of the group stage, Algeria drew 2-2 against Burkina Faso. Pierre Ghislain Atcho was then responsible for the video assistant referee duties.
Following this match, the FAF filed an official complaint with the CAF, highlighting several contentious situations, including actions that could have warranted penalties in favor of the Fennecs.
Additionally, the coach at the time, Djamel Belmadi, expressed his dissatisfaction during a press conference. This incident brought the name of the Gabonese referee back into the debate over officiating decisions affecting the Algerian national team's performance.
Algeria-Nigeria, controversy resurfaces at the 2025 AFCON
Two years later, Pierre Ghislain Atcho was again mentioned in a refereeing controversy involving the Fennecs. During the quarter-final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations against Nigeria, held in January 2026, the Gabonese was again officiating as VAR. Algeria lost 2-0 and was eliminated from the competition. Following this match, the FAF announced that it had contacted the CAF and FIFA to seek clarifications regarding the officiating of this encounter.
Among the contested decisions was an incident in the Nigerian penalty area for which the video did not prompt any intervention from the main referee.
With these two precedents, Pierre Ghislain Atcho's appointment to referee this time the first leg against Togo is unlikely to go unnoticed by Algerian fans. The Gabonese official moves from VAR to the role of central referee for this confrontation, adding a new dimension to his nomination.
