With the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2024) approaching, excitement continues to build as the biggest tournament on the continent kicks off in Ivory Coast.
This year's continental finals are also sometimes called AFCON 2024, since it was initially scheduled for last year, but had been postponed until January-February 2024.
While the players are always the prime attraction, the match officials inevitably find their way into the spotlight during the quadrennial tournament.
VAR decisions are likely to be a huge point of contention in Ivory Coast, and the referees with the power to make those calls will be placed under the microscope.
Late last month, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced a list of officiating officials for the upcoming tournament. The list comprises of 26 referees, 30 assistant referees and 12 VAR referees.
Mustapha Ghorbal leads the pack of AFCON 2024 referees
Only one of the six African referees who took part in the 2022 World Cup, Algerian Mustapha Ghorbal, is expected to be part of the upcoming tournament.
South African Victor Gomes, who officiated the last AFCON final, and Zambian Janny Sikazwe, have retired after the World Cup, meaning that they will not be participating.
Conspicuously missing from the list is Gambian Bakary Gassama, who received criticism for his controversial officiating during the Algeria-Cameroon match in March 2022, as well as Senegalese Maguette Ndiaye and Rwandan Salima Mukansanga.
Their absence, along with other notable exclusions such as Botswana's Joshua Bondo, who has been suspended since last April, and Moroccan Redouane Jayed, creates a gap in the list
On the other hand, familiar faces such as Bamlak Tessema Weyesa from Ethiopia and local Ivorian Kalilou Ibrahim have been selected as match officials for AFCON 2024.
Five female referees make the AFCON 2024 list
Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco), Salima Mukansanga (Rwanda), Akhona Zennith Makalima (South Africa), Rivet Maria Pakuita Cinquela (Mauritius) and DianaChikotesha (Zambia) are the female match officials named in the list.
List of officiating referees at AFCON 2024
- Ghorbal Mustapha (Algeria)
- Gamouh Youcef (Algeria)
- Djindo Louis Houngnandande (Benin)
- Ndabihawenimana Pacifique (Burundi)
- Alhadji Allaou Mahamat (Chad)
- Traoré Ibrahim Kalilou (Cote D'Ivoire)
- Ndala Ngambo Jean-Jacques (DR Congo)
- Amin Mohamed Omar (Egypt)
- Mohamed Maarouf Eid Mansour (Egypt)
- Mohamed Adel Elsaid Hussien (Egypt)
- Weyesa Bamlak Tessema (Ethiopia)
- Atcho Pierre Ghislain (Gabon)
- Mebiame Patrice Tanguy (Gabon)
- Kamaku Peter Waweru (Kenya)
- Ibrahim Mutaz A. Ibrahim (Libya)
- Traore Boubou (Mali)
- Beida Dahane (Mauritania)
- Bouh Abdel Aziz (Mauritania)
- Guezzaz Samir (Morocco)
- Jayed Jalal (Morocco)
- Karboubi Bouchra (F) (Morocco)
- Uwikunda Samuel (Rwanda)
- Sy Issa (Senegal)
- Omar Abdulkadir Artan (Somalia)
- Abongile Tom (South Africa)
- Mahmood Ali Mahmood Ismail (Sudan)
The 2024 Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to take place from 13 January to 11 February.
