Confederation of African football( CAF) has a total of 18 officials taking part in officiating at the 2022 FIFA World Cup hosted by Qatar and starts in nine days.

• Six referees
• 10 assistant referees
• Two video match officials

Bakary Papa Gassama (Gambia) – This will be Gassama’s third World Cup appearance after Brazil 2018 and Russia 2018.

Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria) – The 37-year-old Algerian has refereed several international matches, including the 2020 CAF Champions League final between Egyptian sides Zamalek and Al Ahly, in which he issued two red cards and five yellow cards.

Victor Gomes (South Africa) – A tough-talking no-nonsense referee, Gomes has made headlines on more than one occasion taking charge of the Africa Cup of Nations(AFCON) 2021 played early this year in Cameroon. In the 2021 AFCON final, Gomes sternly told Egyptian superstar Mohammed Salah to stop complaining before sarcastically offering him his whistle.

He is regarded as one of the best referees from Africa.

Salima Mukansanga (Rwanda) – Mukansanga is continuously making history. She is the first woman from her native Rwanda to referee the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the first woman to ever officiate at the African Cup of Nations and now one of the first women to referee at the men’s World Cup.

Janny Sikazwe (Zambia) – Sikazwe boasts an impressive CV, having refereed the 2016 FIFA Club World Cup final and the 2017 AFCON final and becoming the first Zambian referee to officiate a World Cup in 2018.

However, he is perhaps best remembered for incorrectly calling full-time in the 85th and 89th minute in an AFCON clash between Tunisia and Mali in January this year. It later emerged that he had suffered heat stroke and was later taken to hospital.

Maguette Ndiaye (Senegal) – The Senegalese referee officiated several matches at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

Collins Okinyo

Ex- CAF Media Expert. An expert on African football with over 15 years experience ,always with an ear to the ground with indepth knowledge of the game. I have worked for top publications including 7 years at www.supersport.com until i founded www.soka25east.com to quench the thirst of football lovers across the continent. I have trained young upcoming journalists who are now a voice in African football.I have covered World Cup,AFCON,CHAN,Champions League,Confederations Cup,Cecafa,Cosafa,Wafu and many other football tournaments across the World. Founder Football Africa Arena(FAA),Founder www.afrisportdigital.com