Ghana-Gambia: why Jalal Jayed was replaced by another Moroccan referee for this 2027 AFCON qualifier

Moroccan referee Jalal Jayed, initially appointed to officiate the Ghana vs. Gambia match on September 29 in Accra, was replaced by fellow Moroccan Mustapha Kechaf due to Jayed's unavailability caused by a busy international schedule. Jayed, who officiated three matches at the 2026 World Cup, was also selected for the 2026 Gulf Cup. The CAF assigned the match to Kechaf, who is less experienced and has not yet refereed a CAN qualification match.