CAF names Moroccan referee Jalal Jayed for Nigeria vs Egypt AFCON clash

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially unveiled the match officials appointed for the highly anticipated 1XBET Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) third-place playoff between Nigeria and Egypt, scheduled for January 17, 2026, at the Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca.

The blockbuster encounter, set to kick off at 5:00pm WAT, will see both African heavyweights battle for pride and bronze after narrowly missing out on a place in the final.

At the centre of officiating duties is Morocco’s Jalal Jayed, who has been handed the responsibility of refereeing the encounter.

Jayed is one of CAF’s most respected officials, known for his calm authority, firm control of games, and extensive experience handling high-stakes continental fixtures.

Jayed will be assisted on the flanks by Zakaria Brinsi and Akarkad Mostafa, who will serve as Assistant Referees 1 and 2 respectively. Both officials are well-versed in CAF competitions and are expected to play key roles in ensuring correct offside and boundary decisions during the match.

The role of Assistant Referee 3 has been assigned to Hassani Khalil, who will support the officiating team from the sidelines and assist in administrative match duties.

CAF also appointed Peter Waweru Kamaku of Kenya as the Fourth Official. His responsibilities will include managing substitutions, overseeing the technical areas, and acting as a key intermediary between the referee and team officials.

VAR Team Announced

With the use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) expected to play a crucial role, CAF has entrusted the technology to an experienced VAR team led by Lahlou Benbraham. The Algerian official will oversee all video review decisions during the match.

He will be supported by Haythem Guirat as Assistant VAR 1, while Hamza El Fariq has been named Assistant VAR 2, ensuring thorough monitoring of all critical incidents, including goals, penalties, red-card decisions, and cases of mistaken identity.

Completing the officiating lineup is Sinko Zeli, who will serve as the Referee Assessor for the match. Zeli’s role will involve evaluating the performance of the officiating crew and submitting a detailed report to CAF after the game.

However, all eyes will be on Jalal Jayed and his team to ensure the encounter is decided strictly on merit, as Africa’s football audience awaits another thrilling chapter in the Super Eagles–Pharaohs rivalry.