CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025 – Round of 16

3 January 2026

Senegal – Sudan
Referee: Dahane Beida MTN (photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Jerson Dos Santos ANG
Assistant Referee 2: Ivanildo Lopes ANG
Fourth Official: Franklin Kpan CIV
VAR: Lahlou Benbraham ALG
AVAR 1: Mimisa Dickens KEN
AVAR 2: Babacar Sarr MTN
Referee Assessor: Fatou Gaye SEN

Mali – Tunisia
Referee: Abongile Tom RSA
Assistant Referee 1: Zakhele Siwela RSA
Assistant Referee 2: Souru Phatsoane LES
Fourth Official: Ahmad Heeralall MRI
VAR: Brighton Chimene ZIM
AVAR 1: Diana Chikotesha ZAM
AVAR 2: Hamza El Fariq MAR
Referee Assessor: Lemghaifry Bouchaab MTN

4 January 2026
Morocco – Tanzania
Referee: Boubou Traore MLI
Assistant Referee 1: Modibo Samake MLI
Assistant Referee 2: Jonathan Ahonto TOG
Fourth Official: Samuel Uwikunda RWA
VAR: Issa Sy SEN
AVAR 1: Djibril Camara SEN
AVAR 2: Maria Rivet MRI
Referee Assessor: Rene Louzaya CGO

South Africa – Cameroon
Referee: Peter Waweru KEN
Assistant Referee 1: Gilbert Cheruiyot KEN
Assistant Referee 2: Stephen Yiembe KEN
Fourth Official: Jean Ndala COD
VAR: Daniel Laryea GHA
AVAR 1: Yasir Abdalaziz SDN
AVAR 2: Haggag Hussam EGY
Referee Assessor: Inacio Candido ANG

5 January 2026
Egypt – Benin
Referee: Pierre Atcho GAB
Assistant Referee 1: Boris Ditsoga GAB
Assistant Referee 2: Amos Abeigne GAB
Fourth Official: Messie Nkoynkou CGO
VAR: Hamza El Fariq MAR
AVAR 1: Zakaria Brinsi MAR
AVAR 2: Letticia Viana ESW
Referee Assessor: Ali Tomusange UGA

Nigeria – Mozambique
Referee: Abdou Mefire CMR
Assistant Referee 1: Elvis Noupue CMR
Assistant Referee 2: Carine Atezambong CMR
Fourth Official: Patrice Mebiame GAB
VAR: Haythem Guirat TUN
AVAR 1: Khalil Hassani TUN
AVAR 2: Abdulrazg Ahmed LBY
Referee Assessor: Lidya Tafesse ETH

6 January 2026
Algeria – Congo DR
Referee: Mohamed Maarouf EGY
Assistant Referee 1: Mahmoud El-Regal EGY
Assistant Referee 2: Ahmed Hossam EGY
Fourth Official: Amin Omar EGY
VAR: Mahmoud Ashour EGY
AVAR 1: Stephen Yiembe KEN
AVAR 2: Haggag Hussam EGY
Referee Assessor: Evarist Menkouande CMR

Cote d’Ivoire – Burkina Faso
Referee: Mahmoud Ismail SDN
Assistant Referee 1: Liban Abdourazak DJI
Assistant Referee 2: Dimbiniaina Andriatianarivelo MAD
Fourth Official: Ahmad Heeralall MRI
VAR: Mustapha Ghorbal ALG
AVAR 1: Brahamou Sadou NIG
AVAR 2: Babacar Sarr MTN
Referee Assessor: Yahya Hadqa MAR

Without international matches, FIFA referee Karasev performed at a rock festival in Russia

Russian FIFA referee Sergey Karasev recently performed at the festival "Main Metal-Christmas Tree of the country", reported the press service of the RFU. At the event, the 46-year-old referee performed with the rock band Catharsis, playing on an electric guitar. Previously, Karasev repeatedly talked about his love of metal music. His first performance with the band Catharsis took place in 2021.

Karasev has been a FIFA referee since 2010. He refereed matches at the FIFA World Cup (2018) and two European Championships (2016, 2020), and recently refereed games in the championship of Saudi Arabia. He was recognized as the best referee of the 2023/24 season according to the RFU.

Source: Sport24

FIFA World Cup 2026 – Candidate Referees and Video Match Officials

AFC

Referees
1. Alireza Faghani (AUS, 1978, photo)
2. Ma Ning (CHN, 1979)
3. Yusuke Araki (JPN, 1986)
4. Adham Makhadmeh (JOR, 1986)
5. Khalid Al-Turais (KSA, 1987)
6. Ahmed Al Kaf (OMA, 1983)
7. Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (QAT, 1987)
8. Salman Falahi (QAT, 1990)
9. Omar Al-Ali (UAE, 1988)
10. Ilgiz Tantashev (UZB, 1984)

Video Match Officials
1. Shaun Evans (AUS, 1987)
3. Fu Ming (CHN, 1983)
4. Jumpei Iida (JPN, 1981)
5. Kim Woo-Sung (KOR, 1987)
6. Abdullah Jamali (KUW, 1992)
7. Khamis Al-Marri (QAT, 1984)
8. Abdullah Al-Shehri (KSA, 1992)
9. Muhammad Bin Jahari (SIN, 1986)
10. Sivakorn Pu-Udom (THA, 1987)
11. Mohammed Obaid (UAE, 1984)
12. Firdavs Norsafarov (UZB, 1994)

CAF
Referees
1. Mustapha Ghorbal (ALG, 1985)
2. Jean Ndala (COD, 1987)
3. Amin Omar (EGY, 1985)
4. Pierre Atcho (GAB, 1992)
5. Dahane Beida (MTN, 1991)
6. Jalal Jayed (MAR, 1987)
7. Issa Sy (SEN, 1984)
8. Omar Artan (SOM, 1992)
9. Mahmood Ismail (SDN, 1988)

Video Match Officials
1. Lahlou Benbraham (ALG, 1986)
2. Mahmoud Ashour (EGY, 1976)
3. Hamza El Fariq (MAR, 1990)
4. Abongile Tom (RSA, 1991)
5. Haythem Guirat (TUN, 1990)

CONCACAF
Referees
1. Drew Fischer (CAN, 1980)
2. Juan Calderon (CRC, 1987)
3. Ivan Barton (SLV, 1991)
4. Mario Escobar (GUA, 1986)
5. Said Martinez (HON, 1991)
6. Oshane Nation (JAM, 1991)
7. Cesar Ramos (MEX, 1983)
8. Katia Garcia (MEX, 1992)
9. Joseph Dickerson (USA, 1987)
10. Ismail Elfath (USA, 1982)
11. Tori Penso (USA, 1986)

Video Match Officials
1. Benjamin Whitty (CAY, 1983)
2. Yasith Monge (CRC, 1990)
3. Benjamin Pineda (CRC, 1987)
4. Daneon Parchment (JAM, 1981)
5. Adonai Escobedo (MEX, 1987)
6. Oscar Macias (MEX, 1981)
7. Erick Miranda (MEX, 1982)
8. Guillermo Pacheco (MEX, 1995)
9. Ismael Cornejo (SLV, 1987)
10. Allen Chapman (USA, 1974)
11. Joseph Dickerson (USA, 1987)
12. Edvin Jurisevic (USA, 1975)
13. Chris Penso (USA, 1982)
14. Armando Villarreal (USA, 1986)

CONMEBOL
Referees
1. Yael Falcon (ARG, 1988)
2. Dario Herrera (ARG, 1985)
3. Facundo Tello (ARG, 1982)
4. Ramon Abatti (BRA, 1989)
5. Raphael Claus (BRA, 1979)
6. Wilton Sampaio (BRA, 1981)
7. Cristian Garay (CHI, 1989)
8. Andres Rojas (COL, 1984)
9. Juan Benitez (PAR, 1984)
10. Kevin Ortega (PER, 1992)
11. Andres Matonte (URU, 1988)
12. Gustavo Tejera (URU, 1988)
13. Jesus Valenzuela (VEN, 1983)

Video Match Officials
1. Hernan Mastrangelo (ARG, 1981)
2. Silvio Trucco (ARG, 1978)
3. Rodolpho Toski (BRA, 1987)
4. Rodrigo Carvajal (CHI, 1986)
5. Juan Lara (CHI, 1989)
6. Heider Castro (COL, 1990)
7. Nicolas Gallo (COL, 1986)
8. David Rodriguez (COL, 1999)
9. Carlos Orbe (ECU, 1982)
10. Derlis Lopez (PAR, 1988)
11. Ulises Mereles (PAR, 1984)
12. Antonio Garcia (URU, 1986)
13. Leodan Gonzalez (URU, 1983)
14. Juan Soto (VEN, 1977)

OFC
Referee
1. Campbell-Kirk Kawana-Waugh (NZL, 1983)

UEFA
Referees
1. Irfan Peljto (BIH, 1984)
2. Michael Oliver (ENG, 1985)
3. Anthony Taylor (ENG, 1978)
4. Francois Letexier (FRA, 1989)
5. Clement Turpin (FRA, 1982)
6. Felix Zwayer (GER, 1981)
7. Maurizio Mariani (ITA, 1982)
8. Danny Makkelie (NED, 1983)
9. Espen Eskas (NOR, 1988)
10. Szymon Marciniak (POL, 1981)
11. Joao Pinheiro (POR, 1988)
12. Istvan Kovacs (ROU, 1984)
13. Slavko Vincic (SVN, 1979)
14. Jose Sanchez Martinez (ESP, 1983)
15. Glenn Nyberg (SWE, 1988)
16. Sandro Schärer (SUI, 1988)

Video Match Officials
1. Manuel Schüttengruber (AUT, 1983)
2. Bram Van Driessche (BEL, 1985)
3. Ivan Bebek (CRO, 1977)
4. Jarred Gillett (ENG, 1986)
5. Carlos Del Cerro Grande (ESP, 1976)
6. Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez (ESP, 1982)
7. Jerôme Brisard (FRA, 1986)
8. Willy Delajod (FRA, 1992)
9. Bastian Dankert (GER, 1980)
10. Angelos Evangelou (GRE, 1983)
11. Marco Di Bello (ITA, 1981)
12. Marco Guida (ITA, 1981)
13. Rob Dieperink (NED, 1988)
14. Dennis Higler (NED, 1985)
15. Tomasz Kwiatkowski (POL, 1978)
16. Piotr Lasyk (POL, 1979)
17. Andre Narciso (POR, 1983)
18. Ovidiu Hategan (ROU, 1980)
19. Momcilo Markovic (SRB, 1987)
20. Fedayi San (SUI, 1982)

Final selection seminars for Referees
AFC/CAF/OFC: Doha (Qatar), 23-27 February 2026
CONCACAF/CONMEBOL: Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), 12-16 January 2026
UEFA: Dubai (UAE), 2-6 March 2026

Final selection seminars for Video Match Officials
AFC/CAF: Doha (Qatar), 3-5 February 2026
CONCACAF: Dallas (USA), 19-21 January 2026
CONMEBOL: Asuncion (Paraguay), 14-16 January 2026
UEFA: Vienna (Austria), 10-12 February 2026