The Confederation of African Football has appointed Moroccan referee Jalal Jayed to officiate the third-place playoff between Egypt and Nigeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, set for Saturday at Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca.
The decision comes amid rising tension after recent comments by Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan.
Jayed will lead an all-Moroccan on-field team, assisted by Zakaria Brinsi and Mostafa Akarkad. In the VAR room, Algerian official Lahlu Benbraham will take charge, supported by Tunisian Haythem Guirat and Moroccan Hamza El Fariq.
The match follows Egypt’s 1-0 defeat to Senegal in the semi-final, while Nigeria lost to hosts Morocco on penalties after a goalless draw in regular and extra time.
The refereeing choice has extra edge because of the recent friction between the Egyptian camp and sections of Moroccan fans and media. Hossam Hassan suggested that “some parties did not want Egypt to reach the final,” while also pointing to strong Moroccan support for Senegal in the semi-final.
He criticized the scheduling that gave his team less rest than Senegal and forced travel from Agadir to Tangier before the semi-final, adding another layer of frustration around Egypt’s campaign.
