2017 FIFA Club World Cup (Opening Match – Wednesday, 6th December)
- Al Jazira (UAE) Vs Auckland City (New Zealand)
- At the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain – United Arab Emirates
Three African referees have been appointed to officiate opening match of the 2017 FIFA Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
Senegalese trio of Malang Diedhiou, Djibril Camara and Malick Samba will handle the match between Al Jazira (UAE) and Auckland City of New Zealand on Wednesday, 6th December 2017 at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain.
The match is a play-off for the quarter finals at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain.
“The appointment of the trio for the opening match is a good sign for African referees and the game in general. I’m hopeful that they will showcase the rising status of refereeing on the continent to the rest of the world,” said CAF Refereeing Manager, Eddy Maillet as quoted by the CAF Website.
Diedhiou and his compatriots also handled the second leg final of the Total Confederation Cup 2017 between Supersport United (South Africa) and TP Mazembe (DR Congo) on 25 November 2017 in Pretoria.
The match ended barren with Mazembe winning the title 2-1 on aggregate.
Last year, Zambia’s Janny Sikazwe officiated the final between eventual winners, Real Madrid (Spain) and Kashima Antlers.
