The omission of Jean-Jacques Ndala from Africa’s officiating list for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has created fresh debate across the football community.
Ndala, who was at the centre of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Final 2025, did not make the shortlist released by FIFA for the tournament set to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico between June 11 and July 19, 2026.
FIFA named seven centre referees, ten assistant referees and two VAR officials from Africa for the global competition. However, Ndala’s absence has raised eyebrows, coming just months after he officiated one of the most controversial finals in recent AFCON history.
The final, played in Morocco, ended in confusion after tensions boiled over on the pitch. Players from Senegal staged a protest, briefly walking off during the match, which had to be paused before it eventually resumed. Senegal had initially secured a 1–0 victory, but the result was later overturned following a decision by Confederation of African Football, handing Morocco the win.
Beyond Ndala, other notable referees left out of the World Cup list include Issa Sy and Boubou Traoré.
Meanwhile, the selected African officials were drawn from countries such as Algeria, Egypt, Gabon, Morocco, Mauritania, South Africa, Cameroon, Angola and Somalia, with Egypt having the highest number of representatives”
GWG
