The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the African referees and Video Assistant Referees selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with no Nigerian official included on the list.
The development has sparked debate over Africa’s referee representation at the global tournament. Although CAF’s selections feature a mix of experienced and rising officials, many observers were surprised by the omission of highly regarded Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, whose absence has drawn significant attention.
Among the referees selected are Mauritania’s Dahane Beida, known for his consistent performances, as well as prominent officials such as Algeria’s Mustapha Ghorbal, DR Congo’s Jean-Jacques Ndala Ngambo, Egypt’s Amin Omar, and Gabon’s Pierre Ghislain Atcho.
The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team includes Algeria’s Lahlou Benbraham, Egypt’s Mahmoud Ashour, and Eswatini’s Letticia Viana.
CAF stated that selections were based on “rigorous assessments of consistency, experience, and performance in continental and international fixtures.”
However, the complete lack of Nigerian representation, coupled with Artan’s unexpected omission, has prompted significant scrutiny and questioning of the selection criteria and process for the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.