Moroccan referee Jalal Jayed has been appointed to take charge of Sunday’s CAF World Cup playoff final between Nigeria and DR Congo in Rabat.
CAF confirmed the appointment on Saturday, naming Jayed as centre referee for a match that will decide Africa’s representative in next year’s inter-confederation play-offs.
Jayed, 38, is no stranger to the Super Eagles. He officiated Eric Chelle’s first match in charge, Nigeria’s 2–0 win over Rwanda in the 2026 World Cup qualifier match day 5 fixture at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali.
The victory, in which Victor Osimhen scored a brace, was Nigeria’s first win in the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, ending a four-game winless run.
He also took charge of Nigeria’s 2–1 friendly victory over Ghana on 22 March 2024 in Marrakech.
Osimhen celebrates his opener against Rwanda with his teammate Lookman. Photo Credit: CAF/X
On VAR duty will be Lahlou Benbraham of Algeria and Haitham Guirat of Tunisia, both regarded among the continent’s most experienced video match officials.
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The appointment comes amid a reshuffle within CAF’s refereeing department, after several top African referees reportedly failed key fitness and technical assessments during a recent training camp in Egypt.
Jalal Jayed.Photo Credit: CAF/X
The governing body has restructured upcoming match appointments to ensure only fully qualified officials take charge of decisive fixtures.
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Sunday’s clash carries enormous weight, with Nigeria and DR Congo battling for a single pathway into the 2026 World Cup via the inter-confederation play-offs.
