Under-17 World Cup, CAF (Africa)

Referee Trios:

Victor Miguel de Freitas Gomes  
Souru Phats'oane - Lionel Hasinjarasoa Andrianantenaina 
(RSA / LES - MAD)

Rédouane Jiyed 
Lahcen Azgaou - Mustapha Akerkad
(All MAR)

Omar Mohammed Amin 
Attia Amsaeed - Abdallah Ibrahim Mohammed 
(EGY / LBY - SUD)

Support Referee:
Peter Waweru (KEN)

Video Assistant Referees:
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Victor Gomes sorts out a caution during the Ghana - Tunisia match at AFCON 2019.
South Africa has genuine chances to handle matches at Qatar 2022.  

Referees:

In the last year when delving into the cosmopolitan and partly crazy world of CAF Champions League, it was easy to pick out Victor Gomes as a talent - and to see that he was held in high regard there; indeed, if the damned replay of the Espérance de Tunis - Wydad Casablanca Final ever took place, Gomes would likely have handled the game.

Gomes was clearly on CAF's radar for a long time, having been the only South African at AFCON 2015, whilst his compatriot Daniel Frazer Bennett recovered from the injury that saw him miss World Cup 2014. It was clear that Bennett had more credits than the young Gomes - he was the best referee at AFCON 2017, too - but that was all destroyed (ridiculously) after the Uganda - Ghana qualification game, and Bennett has not been appointed for nearly two years internationally.

Young South African also gained many credits for turning down a $30 000 bribe and immediately reporting it to the authorities, but make no mistake, he has ability too. His soft skills and finer management belongs to the best on his continent, which admittedly does not say too much, and I would consider him as a real match manager which is a very valuable trait in FIFA; especially from a confederation that generally lacks that. I believe that he will handle matches in Qatar.

Rédouane Jiyed can be described as a typical North-African referee. Distant from the players, no sophisticated soft skills, whistling each contact and a bit arrogant impression during his matches. Under García-Aranda at FIFA, perhaps, he could look forward to decent chances to handle a World Cup game, but proscriptive Busaccaism will likely see to that.

I had an absolutely solid impression from his AFCON, he is firmer and more naturally assured than his compatriot Noureddine El-Jaafari and is generally a good decision maker - including a good ability to read a match regarding disciplinary control.

What can be a theme of FIFA competitions, interesting to see how much Jiyed changes his usual way of officiating and whether he can manage that without making a disaster.

I was quite surprised to read the name Omar Mohammed Amin for this competition, though that can be formulated by my lack of knowledge about him - I didn't manage to watch his one game at AFCON (Guinea - Madagascar). Very remarkable rise for him - he only entered the FIFA list the year before last, and he attends despite the presence of another North-African.

On other hand, there were hardly a wealth of names to choose from - Joshua Bondo's way of refereeing is apparently just too idiosyncratic for FIFA, the respective messes that Youssef Essrayri (Ghana - Benin) and Hélder Martins de Cavalho (Morocco - Benin) made were probably too much.

In order for Amin to attend Qatar, he will have to overtake Gehad Grisha who has an interesting few months - his ban of six months was quashed by CAF in a (rare) moment of eventual sense from the Africa confederation, before showing an excellent performance in the decisive Kenya - Senegal game, then again handling the third-place playoff at AFCON. Typically North-African, Grisha does lack soft skills, but I like his presence on the pitch.

Interesting to see what happens in Egypt in the next years; it seems that FIFA is interested to see if Amin can take a 'no.1' spot from the former WC referee.

Support Officials:

Peter Waweru débuted at the last AFCON, handling the Namibia - Côte d'Ivoire game.

Video Assistant Referees:

No VARs from CAF region is disappointing considering that system was used at the last AFCON. CAF Champions League Final offers an explanation.

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