Rabat: A total of 73 highly experienced officials have been selected for this edition of the continent’s most prestigious football competition, scheduled from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, including 28 central referees, 31 assistant referees, and 14 officials for video assistance (VAR), CAF says on its official website.

According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, the list unveiled by CAF includes Moroccan referees Jalal Jayed and Mustapha Kech Chaf (central referees), Zakaria Brinsi and Mostafa Akarkad (assistant referees), and Hamza El Fariq (VAR referee).

Hailing from all parts of the continent, the carefully selected referees include some of Africa’s most experienced referees, having already officiated at several major CAF competitions in recent years, the African body adds, noting that all the appointed match officials are expected to arrive in Morocco on December 15, 2025, for an intensive preparatory course ahead of the competition.

This program, led by CAF’s Referees Department, will include
physical, technical, and theoretical assessments designed to ensure optimum performance throughout the tournament.

This careful selection of highly experienced match officials underscores CAF’s ongoing commitment to refereeing excellence, competition integrity, and the continuous enhancements of technical standards across African football.