CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2023 – Group Stage (Matches 8-10)

16 January 2024

Tunisia – Namibia
Referee: Omar Artan (SOM, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Gilbert Cheruiyot (KEN)
Assistant Referee 2: Stephen Yiembe (KEN)
Fourth Official: Patrice Tanguy (GAB)
Reserve AR: Ivanildo Lopes (ANG)
VAR: Daniel Laryea (GHA)
AVAR: Ahmed Heerallal (MRI)

Burkina Faso – Mauritania
Referee: Jayed Jalal (MAR)
Assistant Referee 1: Zakaria Brinzi (MAR)
Assistant Referee 2: Arsenio Marengula (MOZ)
Fourth Official: Louis Houngnandande (BEN)
Reserve AR: Eric Ayimavo (BEN)
VAR: Haythem Guirat (TUN)
AVAR: Diana Chicotesha (ZAM)

Mali – South Africa
Referee: Mohamed Adel (EGY)
Assistant Referee 1: Mahmoud El-Regal (EGY)
Assistant Referee 2: Ahmed Hossam (EGY)
Fourth Official: Amin Omar (EGY)
Reserve AR: Ivanildo Lopes (ANG)
VAR: Lahlou Benbraham (ALG)
AVAR: Salima Mukansanga (RWA)

AFC Asian Cup 2023 – Group Stage (Matches 11-12)

16 January 2024

Thailand – Kyrgyzstan
Referee: Adham Makhadmeh (JOR, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Mohammad Al-Kalaf (JOR)
Assistant Referee 2: Ahmad Al-Roalle (JOR)
Fourth Official: Kim Hee-Gon (KOR)
Reserve AR: Kim Kyoung-Min (KOR)
VAR: Adel Al-Naqbi (UAE)
AVAR: Hasan Al-Mahri (UAE)
Referee Assessor: Abdulrahman Hussain (QAT)

Saudi Arabia – Oman
Referee: Shaun Evans (AUS)
Assistant Referee 1: Anton Shchetinin (AUS)
Assistant Referee 2: Ashley Beecham (AUS)
Fourth Official: Abdullah Jamali (KUW)
Reserve AR: Ahmad Abbas (KUW)
VAR: Kate Jacewicz (AUS)
AVAR: Jumpei Iida (JPN)
Referee Assessor: Ismail Al-Hafi (JOR)

CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2023 – Group Stage (Matches 5-7)

15 January 2024

Senegal – Gambia
Referee: Redouane Jiyed (MAR, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Lahsen Azgaou (MAR)
Assistant Referee 2: Mostafa Akarkad (MAR)
Fourth Official: Bouchra Karboubi (MAR)
Reserve AR: Abbes Zerhouni (ALG)
VAR: Samir Guezzaz (MAR)
AVAR: Mohamed Ibrahim (SDN)
Referee Assessor: Djamel Haimoudi (ALG)

Cameroon – Guinea
Referee: Mutaz Ibrahim (LBY)
Assistant Referee 1: Khalil Hassani (TUN)
Assistant Referee 2: Attia Amsaaed (LBY)
Fourth Official: Youcef Gamouh (ALG)
Reserve AR: Abbes Zerhouni (ALG)
VAR: Mahmoud Ashour (EGY)
AVAR: Mahmoud El-Bana (EGY)

Algeria – Angola
Referee: Issa Sy (SEN)
Assistant Referee 1: Djibril Camara (SEN)
Assistant Referee 2: Nouha Bangoura (SEN)
Fourth Official: Samuel Uwikunda (RWA)
Reserve AR: Eric Ayimavo (BEN)
VAR: Pierre Atcho (GAB)
AVAR: Carine Atezambong (CMR)

AFC Asian Cup 2023 – Group Stage (Matches 8-10)

15 January 2024

Korea – Bahrain
Referee: Ma Ning (CHN, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Zhou Fei (CHN)
Assistant Referee 2: Zhang Cheng (CHN)
Fourth Official: Yusuke Araki (JPN)
Reserve AR: Takumi Takagi (JPN)
VAR: Fu Ming (CHN)
AVAR: Hanna Hattab (SYR)
Referee Assessor: Chia Eng Wah (SIN)

Indonesia – Iraq
Referee: Ilgiz Tantashev (UZB)
Assistant Referee 1: Andrei Tsapenko (UZB)
Assistant Referee 2: Timur Gaynullin (UZB)
Fourth Official: Sadullo Gulmurodi (TJK)
Reserve AR: Nakarit Rawut (THA)
VAR: Salman Falahi (QAT)
AVAR: Sivakorn Pu-Udom (THA)
Referee Assessor: Cheung Yim Yau (HKG)

Malaysia – Jordan
Referee: Abdulla Mohamed (UAE)
Assistant Referee 1: Mohamed Al-Hammadi (UAE)
Assistant Referee 2: Hasan Al-Mahri (UAE)
Fourth Official: Mohammed Al-Hoish (KSA)
Reserve AR: Khalaf Al-Shammari (KSA)
VAR: Omar Al-Ali (UAE)
AVAR: Adel Al-Naqbi (UAE)
Referee Assessor: Toru Kamikawa (JPN)

CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2023 – Group Stage (Matches 2-4)

14 January 2024

Nigeria – Equatorial Guinea
Referee: Abongile Tom (RSA, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Souru Phatsoane (LES)
Assistant Referee 2: Liban Abdoulrazack (DJI)
Fourth Official: Bamlak Tessema (ETH)
Reserve AR: Diana Chicotesha (ZAM)
VAR: Lahlou Benbraham (ALG)
AVAR: Maria Rivet (MRI)

Ghana – Cabo Verde
Referee: Jean Ndala (COD)
Assistant Referee 1: Elvis Noupue (CMR)
Assistant Referee 2: Abelmiro Dos Reis (STP)
Fourth Official: Ahmed Heerallal (MRI)
Reserve AR: Boris Ditsoga (GAB)
VAR: Mustapha Ghorbal (ALG)
AVAR: Mokrane Gourari (ALG)

Egypt – Mozambique
Referee: Dahane Beida (MTN)
Assistant Referee 1: Dimbiniaina Andriatianarivelo (MAD)
Assistant Referee 2: Koffi Ahonto (TOG)
Fourth Official: Abdel Bouh (MTN)
Reserve AR: Boris Ditsoga (GAB)
VAR: Peter Waweru (KEN)
AVAR: Haythem Guirat (TUN)

AFC Asian Cup 2023 – Group Stage (Matches 5-7)

14 January 2024

Japan – Vietnam
Referee: Kim Jong-Hyeok (KOR, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Yoon Jae-Yeol (KOR)
Assistant Referee 2: Park Sang-Jun (KOR)
Fourth Official: Mooud Bonyadifard (IRN)
Reserve AR: Saeid Ghasemi (IRN)
VAR: Kim Hee-Gon (KOR)
AVAR: Ko Hyung-Jin (KOR)
Referee Assessor: Farkhad Abdullaev (UZB)

UAE – Hong Kong
Referee: Muhammad Bin Jahari (SIN)
Assistant Referee 1: Ronnie Koh Min (SIN)
Assistant Referee 2: Abdul Hasim (SIN)
Fourth Official: Ahmad Al-Ali (KUW)
Reserve AR: Abdulhadi Al-Anezi (KUW)
VAR: Sivakorn Pu-Udom (THA)
AVAR: Kate Jacewicz (AUS)
Referee Assessor: Abdulrahman Hussain (QAT)

Iran – Palestine
Referee: Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (QAT)
Assistant Referee 1: Taleb Al-Marri (QAT)
Assistant Referee 2: Saoud Al-Maqaleh (QAT)
Fourth Official: Hanna Hattab (SYR)
Reserve AR: Ali Ahmad (SYR)
VAR: Abdulla Al-Marri (QAT)
AVAR: Khamis Al-Marri (QAT)
Referee Assessor: Saad Al-Fadhli (KUW)

CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2023 – Group Stage (Match 1)

13 January 2024

Cote d'Ivoire – Guinea Bissau
Referee: Amin Omar (EGY, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Mahmoud El-Regal (EGY)
Assistant Referee 2: Ahmed Hossam (EGY)
Fourth Official: Mohamed Maarouf (EGY)
Reserve AR: Diana Chicotesha (ZAM)
VAR: Mahmoud Ashour (EGY)
AVAR: Mahmoud El-Bana (EGY)
Referee Assessor: Yahya Hadqa (MAR)

AFC Asian Cup 2023 – Group Stage (Matches 2-4)

13 January 2024

Australia – India
Referee: Yoshimi Yamashita (JPN, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Makoto Bozono (JPN)
Assistant Referee 2: Naomi Teshirogi (JPN)
Fourth Official: Yusuke Araki (JPN)
Reserve AR: Jun Mihara (JPN)
VAR: Hiroyuki Kimura (JPN)
AVAR: Jumpei Iida (JPN)
Referee Assessor: Chia Eng Wah (SIN)

China – Tajikistan
Referee: Mohammed Al-Hoish (KSA)
Assistant Referee 1: Khalaf Al-Shammari (KSA)
Assistant Referee 2: Yasir Al-Sultan (KSA)
Fourth Official: Nazmi Nasaruddin (MAS)
Reserve AR: Zairul Khalil Tan (MAS)
VAR: Khalid Al Turais (KSA)
AVAR: Abdullah Jamali (KUW)
Referee Assessor: Ismail Al-Hafi (JOR)

Uzbekistan – Syria
Referee: Ahmed Al Kaf (OMA)
Assistant Referee 1: Abu Al Amri (OMA)
Assistant Referee 2: Rashid Al Ghaithi (OMA)
Fourth Official: Mohanad Sarray (IRQ)
Reserve AR: Watheq Al Swaiedi (IRQ)
VAR: Khamis Al Marri (QAT)
AVAR: Salman Falahi (QAT)
Referee Assessor: Cheung Yim Yau (HKG)

AFC Asian Cup 2023 – Group Stage (Match 1)

The Asian Football Confederation confirmed the cast of match officials that will oversee the opening match of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023, which will take place on Friday at the Lusail Stadium. Widely regarded as one of the most established Asian match officials, Alireza Faghani has been appointed to officiate the highly-anticipated Group A fixture between defending champions Qatar and Lebanon, which will kick off at 7pm in the 88,000-capacity venue and officially get the 18th edition of Asia’s crown jewel underway. Faghani will take charge of his 13th AFC Asian Cup match in his fourth appearance at the showpiece, having officiated as fourth official for four matches on his debut in 2011, refereed five matches in 2015 – including the final between Korea Republic and eventual winners Australia – and two in the 2019 edition. The AFC Referee of the Year in 2016 and 2018, Faghani embarked on his refereeing journey in 1994 and became a FIFA referee in 2008. He has demonstrated his prowess on the biggest stages in world football – a support referee at the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014, Faghani was the man in the middle for four matches at the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018, including the third place play-off between Belgium and England, before officiating two matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Faghani has also refereed at the 2013 and 2015 editions of the FIFA Club World Cup, the 2016 Olympic Games Men’s football tournament, including the gold medal match and the FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017. At club level, he has taken charge of 66 AFC Champions League matches, including the 2014 final. (Source: AFC)

12 January 2024

Qatar – Lebanon

Referee: Alireza Faghani (AUS, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Anton Shchetinin (AUS)
Assistant Referee 2: Ashley Beecham (AUS)
Fourth Official: Ko Hyung-Jin (KOR)
Reserve AR: Yoon Jae-Yeol (KOR)
VAR: Shaun Evans (AUS)
AVAR: Kate Jacewicz (AUS)
Referee Assessor: Toru Kamikawa (JPN)

AFC Referee Assessment innovations at Asian Cup 2023

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC)’s resolve to strengthen its position as a model confederation in developing world-class match officials was further underlined with the launch of the Refereeing Online Platform, in conjunction with the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023. The latest milestone initiative equips Referee Assessors with a diverse array of tools, paving the way for a holistic enhancement of officiating standards in Asian football, whilst serving as a centralised platform for assessors to complete and submit their Referee Assessment Reports to ensure the highest professional standards. Live tested with the help of selected experts of the industry during the AFC Champions League 2023/24 Group Stage matches, a key feature of this initiative is the availability of full match videos which will allow the referee assessor to create incident clips and develop teaching material seamlessly within the platform. Aimed at thorough tracking of referees’ performances, the platform will also grant access to the Refereeing Directors of the AFC’s Member Associations, allowing them to track their match officials’ performances, reiterating the confederation’s commitment to ensure world-class standards of Asian refereeing.

Complementing the Refereeing Online Platform is the revamped Referee Assessment Report, which has been refurbished after careful consultation with some of the most renowned refereeing experts on the continent. The newly upgraded system strives to establish a fairer grading mechanism, to ensure that Match Officials receive a more accurate evaluation reflecting their overall performance on the pitch. The system was fine-tuned through offline tests conducted during the AFC U-17 Asian Cup Thailand 2023, which provided valuable insights and aided in refining it before being integrated with the new online platform. With the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 also witnessing the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system making its full debut, following its successful implementation from the quarter-final stage in 2019, as well as the introduction of the Semi-Automated Offside Technology, the Refereeing Online Platform and the upgraded Referee Assessment Report once again underscores the AFC's commitment to ensure its match officials are in the best possible environment to succeed on the ultimate Asian football stage.

Source: AFC