The appointment of Gabonese referee Pierre Ghislain Atcho for Algeria’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Togo has revived memories of previous refereeing disputes involving the North African side.
Atcho will take charge of the first leg on Saturday, 14 November 2026, at the Hocine Aït Ahmed Stadium in Tizi Ouzou, despite having previously been at the centre of complaints by the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) during the 2023 and 2025 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, when he served as a video assistant referee (VAR).
His appointment as the main referee has attracted attention because of the two previous incidents, both of which prompted Algeria to raise concerns about officiating decisions with football authorities.
The latest development comes as Algeria prepare to face Togo in their campaign to qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with Atcho’s role likely to draw scrutiny from supporters familiar with the earlier disputes.
The first major controversy involving the Gabonese official dates back to the 2023 AFCON, held in Ivory Coast in January 2024.
During the group-stage encounter between Algeria and Burkina Faso, the teams played out a 2-2 draw, with Atcho serving as the VAR official.
After the match, the FAF submitted an official complaint to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), highlighting several disputed incidents.
These included situations the Algerian federation believed could have resulted in penalties for its national team.
Djamel Belmadi, who was Algeria’s coach at the time, also voiced his dissatisfaction during a press conference.
The incident placed Atcho’s name at the centre of a wider debate over refereeing decisions during Algeria’s campaign at the tournament.
The controversy resurfaced during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, played in Morocco in late 2025 and early 2026. Atcho was again assigned VAR duties when Algeria faced Nigeria in the quarter-finals in January 2026.
Algeria lost the match 2-0 and exited the competition, prompting another complaint from the FAF.
Following the defeat, the federation announced that it had lodged complaints with both CAF and FIFA, seeking explanations over decisions made during the match.
One of the incidents that attracted particular attention involved an action inside Nigeria’s penalty area. The video review did not result in the on-field referee intervening.
The two episodes have contributed to the attention surrounding Atcho’s latest appointment, as he prepares to officiate an Algeria match in a different capacity.
Unlike his previous assignments involving the Fennecs, when he operated in the VAR room, the Gabonese official will now serve as the central referee against Togo.
That change in responsibility adds another dimension to his appointment, particularly given the history of complaints raised by the Algerian federation over previous decisions.
However, the appointment itself does not establish that any wrongdoing occurred in the earlier matches.
Atcho’s selection means he will be responsible for overseeing the upcoming qualifier, with his decisions likely to receive close attention.
The first leg against Togo is scheduled for 14 November at the Hocine Aït Ahmed Stadium, where Algeria will seek to advance their bid for a place at the 2027 AFCON.
