Jilali Gharib, Moroccan refereeing trailblazer, dies at 74

Moroccan football is mourning Jilali Gharib, the country’s first referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup finals tournament, who died on Sunday, 2 August 2026.

Gharib was a pioneering figure in Moroccan refereeing and became the first official from the country to take part in a World Cup finals competition when he was appointed as an assistant referee at the 1994 tournament in the United States.

His death was announced as tributes were paid to a career that helped establish Morocco’s presence on the international refereeing stage.

Born in Oujda on 3 June 1952, Gharib began refereeing in the late 1970s. He was awarded national referee status in 1987, marking an important step in a career that would later take him to major international competitions.

Gharib made history in 1992 when he became the first Moroccan referee to officiate at the Olympic Games. He was selected for the Barcelona Olympics, giving Morocco its first representation in the football refereeing programme at the event.

Two years later, he reached another landmark by joining the officials chosen for the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States. Appointed as an assistant referee, he became the first Moroccan to officiate at a World Cup finals tournament.

Working alongside Mauritian referee Lim Kee Chong, Gharib was involved in the match between the United States and Colombia in Los Angeles. He was also selected for the third-place play-off between Sweden and Bulgaria on 16 July 1994.

The match brought together Sweden, who had lost their semi-final to Brazil, and Bulgaria, who had been defeated by Italy. Gharib’s appointment to such a fixture underlined the standing he had earned during his international career.

He later continued to represent Morocco at continental level, officiating in several matches at the 1996 Asian Cup.

Fouzi Lekjaa, speaking on behalf of the Federation Royale Marocaine de Football and its executive committee, offered condolences to Gharib’s family, friends and the wider Moroccan football community.

The FRMF described him as one of the leading figures in the history of national refereeing. It said his achievements had opened the way for several generations of Moroccan officials who would go on to make their mark internationally.

Gharib will be remembered as a trailblazer whose World Cup appointment placed a Moroccan referee in the competition’s history for the first time.

His legacy extends beyond the matches he officiated. By reaching the Olympics, the FIFA World Cup and the Asian Cup, he created a path for Moroccan referees to pursue opportunities on the global stage.

Afrik-Foot also expressed its condolences to Gharib’s family and loved ones, as well as to the entire Moroccan football community.