The 2026 World Cup referee list has been unveiled by FIFA, including seven African head referees on the global stage.
This group combines the proven experience of Algeria’s Mustapha Ghorbal, who has already officiated in Qatar, with the meteoric rise of new talents such as Mauritania’s Dahane Beida and Gabon’s Pierre Archi.
This selection marks a turning point for continental refereeing with historic choices, notably the inclusion of Somali Omar Abdulkadir Artan.
They will be supported by the established names of African refereeing:
Amin Mohamed (Egypt), Abongile Tom (South Africa), and Jalal Jayed (Morocco) round out a list that reflects the growing representativeness and rigor of CAF officials.
However, this announcement is not without surprises, marked by the absence of familiar names such as the Congolese Jean-Jacques Ndala.
Complete list of selected African center referees:
- Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria)
- Dahane Beida (Mauritania)
- Pierre Atcho (Gabon)
- Omar Abdulkadir Artan (Somalia)
- Amin Mohamed (Egypt)
- Abongile Tom (South Africa)
- Jalal Jayed (Morocco)
