World football governing body, FIFA, has unveiled a record-breaking list of match officials for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with notable omissions including Africa Cup of Nations final referee, Jean-Jacques Ndala, and Senegal’s Issa Sy.
The global football body announced a total of 52 referees, 88 assistant referees, and 30 video match officials selected for the tournament, making it the largest officiating team in World Cup history.
However, the exclusion of Ndala has sparked reactions within African football circles, particularly after his impressive outing at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where he officiated both the opening match and the final.
Also missing from the list is Senegalese referee Issa Sy, whose recent involvement in a controversial CAF Champions League clash between Al Ahly and Espérance Sportive de Tunis is believed to have influenced his omission.
Similarly, Ghana’s Daniel Laryea failed to secure a place among the selected officials.
From Africa, seven referees made the final cut, including Mustapha Ghorbal, Amin Mohamed, Pierre Atcho, Jalal Jayed, Dahane Beida, Tom Abongile, and Omar Artan.
Speaking on the selection, FIFA’s Head of Refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, said the chosen officials emerged from a rigorous evaluation process spanning over three years.
“The selected match officials are the very best in the world. They were part of a wider pool that was identified and monitored over the past three years,” Collina said.
He added that the officials have undergone extensive training and continuous performance assessments to ensure they meet the highest standards ahead of the tournament.
“Our goal is to ensure they are in optimal physical and mental condition when they arrive for the competition,” he said.
Collina further highlighted the scale of the 2026 World Cup, which will feature 48 teams and 104 matches across host nations, making it the biggest edition in the competition’s history.
“This will be the largest FIFA Team One ever, with significantly more match officials than previous tournaments,” he added.
Also speaking, FIFA’s Director of Refereeing, Massimo Busacca, noted that preparations for the tournament began immediately after the 2022 World Cup, with structured programmes designed to ensure top-level officiating.
“The road to the FIFA World Cup 2026 began right after Qatar 2022, with continuous monitoring, seminars, and workshops to prepare referees for this stage,” Busacca said.
FIFA disclosed that the selected officials will undergo a final preparatory seminar in Miami before the tournament, while video match officials will operate from the International Broadcast Centre in Dallas.
The governing body also confirmed the introduction of enhanced technologies, including upgraded semi-automated offside systems and referee body cameras, aimed at improving decision-making and fan experience.
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