Africa makes history as seven referees earn selection for 2026 FIFA World Cup

Africa will have a record-breaking representation among match officials at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after FIFA officially confirmed seven central referees from the continent for the global tournament.

The selected referees are Jalal Jayed of Morocco, Mustapha Ghorbal of Algeria, Amin Mohammed of Egypt, Dahane Beida of Mauritania, Pierre Atcho of Gabon, Abongile Tom of South Africa, and Omar Abdulkadir Artan of Somalia.

The announcement marks a major milestone for African officiating, with the continent recording its highest-ever number of central referees selected for a FIFA World Cup.

The achievement further highlights Africa’s growing influence in global football and underlines FIFA’s confidence in the quality and development of refereeing on the continent.

With just one month remaining before the start of the tournament, anticipation continues to build for what promises to be a historic edition of the World Cup. The 2026 competition will feature an expanded format involving 48 national teams and 104 matches to be played across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

For the selected African officials, the tournament presents another opportunity to demonstrate the standard and professionalism of African refereeing on football’s biggest stage.