CAF announces 2026 World Cup referee lineup — Surprises Inside

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the African referees and video assistant referees (VAR) selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Notably, no Nigerian officials made the list.

This absence has sparked debate about African referee representation at the global tournament. Among the notable omissions is highly-rated Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, whose exclusion has drawn significant attention.

The selected officials include Mauritania’s Dahane Beida, recognized for consistent performance, alongside established referees such as Algeria’s Mustapha Ghorbal, DR Congo’s Jean-Jacques Ndala Ngambo, Egypt’s Amin Omar, and Gabon’s Pierre Ghislain Atcho. The VAR team features Algeria’s Lahlou Benbraham, Egypt’s Mahmoud Ashour, and Eswatini’s Letticia Viana.

CAF explained that selections were made based on “rigorous assessments of consistency, experience, and performance in continental and international fixtures.

” However, the complete lack of Nigerian representation, combined with Artan’s surprising omission, has prompted scrutiny and questions regarding the selection process for the tournament set to take place in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

The CAF announcement has already stirred conversations across the continent, with fans and analysts dissecting the choices and debating the criteria behind the selections.

Many are eager to see how these referees will handle the pressure on football’s biggest stage in 2026.

As the tournament approaches in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, attention will turn not just to the players, but also to the officials who will help shape the outcomes of crucial matches. For African fans, every decision on and off the field will be closely watched.