Ngum Fatou from The Gambia will take charge of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier between South Africa and Ghana on Saturday.
Fatou will be assisted by fellow Gambians Abbie Ceesay (Assistant I), Jainaba Manneh (Assistant II), and Isatou Touray (Fourth Referee) for the crucial second leg qualifier at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, South Africa.
Cindy Barbara Dludlu from Eswatini has been appointed Match Commissioner, while Constance Catherine Wejuli Adipo from Uganda will serve as Referee Assessor for the encounter scheduled to kick off at 15:00hrs.
Ghana head into the match level at 2-2 following the first leg played at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, February 8, 2026. The Black Princesses took the lead twice during the first leg but were pegged back on both occasions by the South African side.
Agnes Yeboah opened scoring for Ghana in the 33rd minute before South Africa equalized in the 48th minute. Linda Owusu Ansah restored Ghana’s lead four minutes later with a header from a corner kick, only for the visitors to level again in the 60th minute following a defensive error.
The winner of the tie will advance to the fourth round of African qualifying for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup scheduled to take place in Poland in September 2026. Ghana is seeking to qualify for their eighth consecutive appearance at the tournament.
The Black Princesses defeated Tunisia 4-0 on aggregate in the previous round to reach this stage, while South Africa advanced with a 9-0 aggregate victory over Eswatini. Ghana departed Accra on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, with a 20-member squad comprising players and technical staff.
A win or a high scoring draw favoring Ghana would see them progress to face either Zambia or Uganda in the next qualifying round. However, South Africa holds an advantage with the away goal rule, having scored twice in Accra.
The appointment of Fatou marks another significant assignment for the Gambian referee, who has officiated several high profile women’s football matches across the continent, including fixtures in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
