Meet the 7 African referees named for...

FIFA has confirmed the officiating lineup for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with seven African referees earning the right to represent the continent at football's grandest stage.

The tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will be the largest in World Cup history, featuring 48 teams for the first time, making the competition for officiating spots particularly fierce.

Here is everything you need to know about African referees named for 2026 FIFA World Cup and the notable names who missed out.

The Selected Seven

1. Mustapha Ghorbal — Algeria

Born: 19 August 1985 | FIFA listed since: 2014

A native of Oran, Mustapha Ghorbal made his debut in the Algerian first division in 2011 before earning FIFA international status in 2014. Now 40, he is one of the most decorated African officials of his generation. His international career highlights include refereeing two matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, as well as fixtures at the 2019, 2021, and 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. He has also handled games in the FIFA Club World Cup across editions from 2019 to 2025, the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland, and various CAF Champions League finals.

Over the past year, he has officiated major competitions, including the Club World Cup in the United States, qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, and several CAF interclub matches. Notably, he was also nominated for the World's Best Referee Award by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) for 2025, alongside 24 other candidates from five continents. Algeria will also have additional representation at the tournament through VAR official Lahlou Benbraham.

2. Amin Mohamed (Amin Omar) — Egypt

Born: 1985 | FIFA listed: Veteran international

Egypt's Amin Mohamed — also referred to in official documentation as Amin Omar — is one of the continent's most experienced match officials. Born in 1985, he is a long-standing FIFA-listed official who has handled some of the most consequential fixtures in African football. He has been a regular presence in CAF Champions League assignments and has featured prominently in World Cup qualifying matches across the African qualification cycle. His selection continues Egypt's strong tradition of producing high-calibre referees at the international level, with the country also having a VAR official, Mahmoud Ashour, among those named for the tournament.

3. Pierre Ghislain Atcho — Gabon

Born: 1992 | FIFA listed since: 2012

A 47-year-old referee who has been on FIFA's international list since 2012, Pierre Ghislain Atcho has officiated in major African tournaments, including the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, CAF Champions League matches, and the 2023 AFCON finals in Ivory Coast, where he handled group stage games. Most recently, he was appointed to officiate Ghana's 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Comoros in Accra, as well as the high-stakes qualifier between South Africa and Nigeria in Bloemfontein. A calm and methodical presence on the pitch, Atcho is widely regarded as one of Central Africa's most dependable officials.

4. Jalal Jayed — Morocco

Born: 1987 | FIFA listed: Active international

Born in 1987, Jalal Jayed is a Morocco-based FIFA-listed referee who has steadily built one of the stronger reputations among the current generation of African officials. He has handled top-level fixtures in the CAF Champions League, including the high-profile tie between Al Ahly and Espérance Sportive de Tunis. Jayed will serve as one of the main referees from the African continent at the 2026 World Cup, alongside Algeria's representative. He also represented Africa at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, underlining the consistency of his performances at an elite level. His selection brings Morocco full circle — having hosted the 2025 AFCON, the country now also has a referee heading to the senior World Cup.

5. Dahane Beida — Mauritania

Born: 31 December 1991 | FIFA listed since: 2018

Born on 31 December 1991, Dahane Beida has been a FIFA-listed international referee since 2018 and is considered a prominent referee in CAF tournaments. He has overseen notable matches, including the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations between Ivory Coast and Nigeria, as well as the second leg of the 2025 CAF Confederation Cup final between Simba SC and RS Berkane.

His résumé is remarkably rich for someone from a nation with limited traditional football infrastructure. Beida was selected for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, where he refereed two group-stage games, including a Real Madrid victory over Red Bull Salzburg. He also handled the Round of 16 match between Senegal and Sudan at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. His IFFHS nomination for the World's Best Referee Award in 2025 — alongside Ghorbal — further underscores his rapid rise to the pinnacle of world refereeing.

6. Tom Abongile — South Africa

Born: 16 December 1991 | FIFA listed since: 2020

Born on 16 December 1991, Abongile Tom became a FIFA-listed international referee in 2020. In 2022 he was selected to officiate at the African Nations Championship, and in 2023 he was one of two South African referees granted professional contracts by CAF. He also officiated at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the 2023 African Football League.

Tom grew up in Tlokoeng, a rural area in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, and has cited fellow South African referees Jerome Damon and Zakhele Siwela as key influences on his career. At the 2025 AFCON, he handled four on-field matches, including the DR Congo vs Benin group opener, the Mali vs Tunisia Last 16 tie, and the Mali vs Senegal quarterfinal — while also serving VAR duties in three further games. His selection for the World Cup is a significant personal milestone and a proud moment for South African officiating.

7. Omar Abdulkadir Artan — Somalia

Born: 1992, Mogadishu | FIFA listed since: 2018

Of all seven selections, Omar Artan's story is perhaps the most extraordinary. Born in Mogadishu in 1992, Artan became a FIFA-listed referee in 2018. He made history in January 2024 as the first Somali to officiate at the Africa Cup of Nations, overseeing the Group E match between Tunisia and Namibia.

Artan became the first referee from Somalia to take charge of a continental final, overseeing Egypt's Pyramids FC triumph over South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns in Cairo. He also represented Africa at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile. His World Cup selection is not merely a personal achievement — it is a landmark moment for Somali football, a nation that has navigated decades of instability to produce an official at the highest level of the global game.

The Notable Absences

Jean-Jacques Ndala — Congo DR

The most high-profile omission from the final list is Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala. Born in 1987 and a long-established FIFA-listed official, Ndala was widely considered one of Africa's finest after handling both the opening match and the controversial final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. His exclusion is a genuine shock to many within African football circles and has prompted questions about the criteria applied in the final selection process.

Issa Sy — Senegal

Senegal's Issa Sy, born in 1984 and a FIFA-listed official, also misses out. His omission is less surprising given his recent involvement in controversy during a CAF Champions League match between Al Ahly and Espérance Sportive de Tunis — a high-profile incident that almost certainly weighed against him in FIFA's deliberations.

Daniel Laryea — Ghana

For Ghanaian football, the non-selection of Daniel Laryea is a notable disappointment. Laryea had been active in continental club competition as a VAR official and had been among the candidates being monitored during the qualification preparation process. His absence means Ghana — which is itself competing at the tournament — will have no officiating representation.

Meet the 7 African referees named for 2026 FIFA World Cup