2026 World Cup: The Elite of African Referees in Attendance

FIFA has announced the list of referees for the 2026 World Cup, featuring seven central African referees. Among them are Mustapha Ghorbal from Algeria, Dahane Beida from Mauritania, and Pierre Archi from Gabon, along with Somali Omar Abdulkadir Artan, marking a turning point for African officiating. The selection reflects the increasing rigor of CAF officials, although the absence of familiar name Jean-Jacques Ndala was surprising.