Tensions Heightened As FIFA Switch Match Officials Ahead of Nigeria, Ghana World Cup Play-Offs

• World football ruling body, FIFA has effected minor changes in the list of match officials for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 playoff between Nigeria and Ghana
• Ghana and Nigeria are set to go all out to secure one of Africa's five tickets to the World Cup to be hosted in Qatar by November 2022
• Nigeria recently named its 32-man roster for the World Cup play-offs which has been scheduled for March 25 and 29 in Accra and Abuja respectively

The Federation of International Football Associations, FIFA has caused a bit of panic prior to the crucial world cup play-offs involving Nigeria and Ghana in March.

The football governing body announced on Tuesday it has made some minor changes to the match officials scheduled to handle the games in Accra and Abuja respectively.

According to Punch, Morocco’s Rédouane Jiyed is retained as the centre referee for the first-leg in Cape Coast, Ghana.

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Jiyed will be assisted by fellow compatriots, Lahsen Azgaou as assistant referee 1, Mostafa Akarkad as assistant referee 2, and Samir Guezzaz who serves as the fourth official.

Mandu Humphrey of Uganda has now replaced South Africa’s David Junse Van Vuuren as Security Officer.

For the reverse fixture in Abuja, Senegalese Badara Diatta replaces former FIFA referee Essam Abdelfattah Abdelhamid as the referee assessor.

Tunisia’s Sadok Selmi is retained as centre referee while Frenchmen Jérôme Brisard and Willy Louis Delajod are the VAR and assistant VAR respectively.

Ghana to move the first leg of World Cup playoff

Meanwhile, Ghana may move the first leg of their 2022 World Cup playoff against Nigeria to a neutral venue Daily Post reports.

This is unconnected to the bad pitch situation at the Cape Coast stadium which has been scheduled as the venue for the first-leg encounter.

Ghana is bidding to qualify for the World Cup for the fourth time after missing out on the last edition hosted by Russia in 2018.

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In form Ghanaian defender rejects Black Stars call up again

Earlier, Sports Brief reported Mohammed Salisu has turned down an approach by Ghana to face Nigeria in the World Cup play-offs, it has emerged.

Ghana FA spokesperson Henry Asante Twum earlier revealed that coach Otto Addo wants to assemble the best set of players for the national assignment which includes Salisu.

The Southampton center back has made himself unavailable for the Black Stars' encounter against the Super Eagles despite recovering from a hamstring injury.