By Wale Mustapha
The world football governing body, FIFA, has appointed Moroccan referee Jalal Jayed to officiate the highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff final between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and the Democratic Republic of Congo this Sunday.
Jayed, a familiar figure in international football, will take charge of the crucial encounter at the Prince Héritier Moulay El Hassan Sports Complex in Rabat.
The 38-year-old official is no stranger to Nigeria, having previously officiated in the Super Eagles’ 2-0 victory over Rwanda in March 2025, as well as their 2-1 friendly win over Ghana in Marrakech in 2024.
For Sunday’s match, Jayed will be assisted by compatriots Mustapha Akarkad (first assistant referee) and Zakaria Bernissi (second assistant referee).
Tunisia’s Mahrez El Malki will serve as the fourth official, while Lahlou Benbraham of Algeria and Tunisia’s Haitham Guirat will oversee the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) duties.
The stakes are high for both teams as the winner will secure a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Intercontinental Playoffs, set to take place in Guadalajara and Monterrey, Mexico, in March 2026.
As the final whistle approaches, all eyes will be on the officiating team, with Jayed tasked with maintaining fairness and order in what promises to be a thrilling and high-pressure encounter between two of Africa’s football powerhouses.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
