The International Football Federation (FIFA) has revealed the final list of referees for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndanda was excluded from this list, despite being initially nominated by the African Football Confederation. FIFA's decision comes amid the controversy surrounding his officiating in the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations between Morocco and Senegal. FIFA's Referees Committee has approved 52 main referees, 88 assistant referees, and 30 video assistant referees, distributed across the six continental confederations. The selection of refereeing teams was based on their competence and technical readiness to oversee the historic tournament, which will feature 48 national teams. The tournament is scheduled to kick off on June 11.
