No Senegalese officials selected for 2026 FIFA World Cup referee roster

FIFA has announced the list of referees for the 2026 World Cup, scheduled from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, with no Senegalese officials included. The selection comprises 52 central referees, 88 assistant referees, and 30 video match officials, totaling 170 officials, the largest contingent ever for a World Cup. Seven African central referees were chosen: Omar Abdulkadir Artan Somalia, Dahane Beida Mauritania, Mustapha Ghorbal Algeria, Mohamed Adel Egypt, Abongile Tom South Africa, Pierre Atcho Gabon, and Jalal Jayed Morocco. Several African countries are represented among assistant referees, including Gabon, Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, Angola, and South Africa. For video assistance, two African referees, Mahmoud Ashour Egypt and Hamza El Fariq Morocco, were selected. Pierluigi Collina, Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, stated that the selection process involved three years of monitoring, seminars, regular evaluations, and participation in international competitions. Massimo Busacca, Director of Refereeing, added that preparations began after the 2022 World Cup. A ten-day training camp is planned in Miami starting May 31, where officials will receive physical and mental coaching and training on technologies like semi-automated offside detection, goal-line technology, and the connected ball.