FIFA Appoints African Referee For Crucial 2026 World Cup Playoff Fixtures In Mexico

FIFA Appoints African Referee For Crucial 2026 World Cup Playoff Fixtures In Mexico 

By Niyi Busari 

FIFA has appointed Algerian international referee Mustapha Ghorbal as part of the officiating team for the final playoff matches that will determine the last qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The FIFA Referees Committee confirmed the list of match officials for the playoff tournament, which will be staged in Monterrey and other venues in Mexico from March 26 to 31. The mini-tournament represents the final stage of qualification for the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup.

According to reports from the WinWin platform, Ghorbal will serve as the fourth official in the playoff fixture between Bolivia and Suriname scheduled for March 26. The match will be overseen by Australian referee Alireza Faghani, assisted by compatriots George Lakrindis and James Lindsay.

Video Assistant Referee (VAR) duties for the encounter will be handled by Croatian official Ivan Bebek, with Swiss assistant VAR referee Fedayi San providing support.

The winner of the Bolivia–Suriname clash will advance to face Iraq on March 31 at Monterrey Stadium in the decisive playoff final, with the victor securing a place at the 2026 World Cup.

In another playoff fixture, the match between New Caledonia and Jamaica will be officiated by a Uruguayan refereeing team led by Gustavo Tejera, while Chilean official Juan Lara will oversee VAR operations.

Ghorbal is among ten African referees currently vying for selection to officiate at the 2026 World Cup. The officials recently participated in a FIFA preparatory training camp in Doha aimed at finalizing the list of referees for the global tournament.

Other African referees in contention include Morocco’s Jalal Jayed, Egypt’s Amin Omar, Sudan’s Mahmoud Ismail, Somalia’s Omar Artan, Senegal’s Issa Sy, South Africa’s Abongile Tom, DR Congo’s Jean‑Jacques Ndala, Mauritania’s Dahane Beida, and Gabon’s Pierre Ghislain Atcho.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place across the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026. The tournament will feature an expanded format with 48 participating teams for the first time, increasing the number of matches to 104 across 16 host cities.