Moroccan referees excel in the World Cup.

Moroccan refereeing continues to assert its strong and distinguished presence at the 2026 World Cup finals, taking place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, after the referees committee of FIFA selected a group of Moroccan talents to manage and assist the refereeing leadership in the World Cup matches.

This presence reflects FIFA's ongoing confidence in the development of Moroccan refereeing, represented in the American World Cup by four referees chosen from among the elite international referees. This includes the team consisting of international referee Jalal Jaid, along with his compatriots Zakaria Brinsi as first assistant and Mustafa Akrakad as second assistant, in addition to Hamza Al-Farq, who has been appointed to the VAR (Video Assistant Referee) team for major matches.

This distinction reflects the determination of the refereeing committee of FIFA to assign the task of officiating two matches in the group stage to the Moroccan trio, which left a serious impression in managing the match between Germany and Curacao (7-1), and then the match between Portugal and Uzbekistan (5-0). Meanwhile, Hamza Al-Farq was appointed to the VAR team in the match between Iraq and Norway.

In a further confirmation of the trust that the Moroccan trio enjoys with the FIFA referees committee, and its president, the famous Italian referee Pierluigi Collina, the Moroccan refereeing team was appointed to officiate the match between the German national team and its Paraguayan counterpart in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup.

The distinguished participation of Moroccan refereeing comes as an extension of the great historical legacy left by Moroccan referees in global forums, led by the late referee Said Belqola, who successfully officiated the final of the 1998 World Cup in France.

In fact, the journey of the Moroccan whistle in the World Cup has seen gradual development, marked by the emergence of prominent names that have succeeded in asserting their competence at the highest level of world football. After Moroccan refereeing remained for a long time trapped in the shadows due to the dominance of the European and South American schools, Moroccan referees gradually began to gain greater credibility until they reached a stage of international recognition.

The name of the late Said Belqola remains closely linked to this journey; in the 1998 World Cup in France, the son of the city of Tiflet made history as the first African and Arab referee to officiate the World Cup final, which brought together the French and Brazilian national teams. This appointment was a crowning achievement for Moroccan refereeing on the global stage; thanks to his strict personality and ability to manage major matches, Belqola opened the door wide for subsequent generations.