Algeria’s Lotfi Bekouassa to referee TotalEnergies CAF CHAN 2024 opener between Tanzania and Burkina Faso
Algerian referee Lotfi Bekouassa will take centre stage as he officiates the opening match of the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 between hosts Tanzania and Burkina Faso on Saturday, 02 August.
The tournament opener at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, kicking off at 20h00 local time (17h00 GMT).
It marks the beginning of the eighth edition of Africa’s premier tournament for domestic-based national players and the first time in history that CHAN will be jointly hosted by three nations: Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Bekouassa, a seasoned official from Algiers, brings over a decade of refereeing experience to the competition.
The 38-year-old, born on 9 January, 1987, made his professional league debut on 15 March, 2014 and has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2016. Off the pitch, he is a teacher by profession.
Widely respected across the African football scene, Bekouassa has steadily built a reputation for composure, consistency and clear game management.
Joining him on the field are his compatriot Adel Abane (Algeria) as Assistant Referee I and Hamza Nassiri (Morocco) as Assistant Referee II. Houssam Benyahia, also from Algeria, will serve as the Fourth Official.
The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) duties will be led by Lahlou Benbraham of Algeria, with Akhona Makalima of South Africa appointed as the Assistant VAR.
Their inclusion reflects CAF’s commitment to elite-level officiating and the growing integration of VAR technology in African competitions.
The match between Tanzania and Burkina Faso is one of the most anticipated in the group stage. With the hosts keen to start their campaign strongly in front of a passionate home crowd and Burkina Faso eager to make an early statement, tensions are expected to be high.
TotalEnergies CAF CHAN, PAMOJA 2024 features 19 national teams from across the continent and is exclusively reserved for players active in their domestic leagues.
For Bekouassa, Saturday’s assignment is another opportunity to cement his place among Africa’s top referees, with several high-stakes matches expected in the coming weeks.
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CAF | Communication Department