Morocco’s Jalal Jayed has been given the responsibility of refereeing today’s (January 17, 2026) Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) third-place playoff between Nigeria and Egypt by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
This mega hit encounter, set to kick off at 5:00pm WAT, inside the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca, will see both African heavyweights battle for pride and bronze after narrowly missing out on a place in the final.
A multi-purpose complex, named after King Mohammed V and situated at the heart of Casablanca, in the western part of the Maârif neighborhood, the arena, with a seating capacity of 45,000, is the oldest football stadium in Morocco
Jayed, one of CAF’s most respected officials, is reportedly known for his calm authority, firm control of games, and extensive experience handling high-stakes continental fixtures.
To assist Jayed run officiating duties on the flanks are compatriots, Zakaria Brinsi and Akarkad Mostafa, who will serve as Assistant Referees one (1) and two (2) respectively.
Well-versed in CAF competitions, both officials are expected to play key roles in ensuring appropriate offside and boundary decisions come into play all through the match’s duration.
With the role of Assistant Referee three (3) assigned to Hassani Khalil, who will support the officiating team from the sidelines and assist in administrative match duties, CAF also appointed Peter Waweru Kamaku of Kenya as the Fourth Official.
Kamaku’s responsibilities include managing substitutions, overseeing the technical areas, and acting as a key intermediary between the referee and team officials.
VAR TEAM
With the use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) expected to play a crucial role, CAF has entrusted the technology to an experienced VAR team led by Lahlou Benbraham. The Algerian official will oversee all video review decisions during the match.
Benbraham will receive support from Haythem Guirat as Assistant VAR 1, while Hamza El Fariq has been named Assistant VAR 2, ensuring thorough monitoring of all critical incidents, including goals, penalties, red-card decisions, and cases of mistaken identity.
Completing the officiating lineup is Sinko Zeli, who will serve as the Referee Assessor for the match. Zeli’s role will involve evaluating the performance of the officiating crew and submitting a detailed report to CAF after the game.
Meanwhile, all eyes will be on Jalal Jayed and his team as Africa’s football audience awaits another thrilling chapter in the Super Eagles versus Pharaohs rivalry.
HISTORY OF 3RD PLACE MATCHES
Nigeria and Egypt will contest the 32nd AFCON third place play-off.
Across the previous 31 matches, the third place matches have produced 87 goals at an average of 2.85 per game.
In 13 of the 31 matches, both teams have scored while five previous play-offs, in 1988, 1998, 2000, 2015 and 2023, were decided by penalty shoot-outs.
The highest-scoring play-off was in 1998, when Burkina Faso and DR Congo drew 4–4, with DR Congo winning on penalties after Burkina Faso had led 3–0 and 4–1.
The most recent high-scoring play-off ended 3–3 before Cameroon defeated Burkina Faso on penalties, coming back from 3–0 down.
Burkina Faso have twice surrendered three-goal leads and lost on penalties, in 1998 and 2021.
At the last edition, South Africa defeated DR Congo on penalties after a 0–0 draw.
The biggest victory in a third place play-off was Egypt’s 4–0 win over Congo in 1974.
Only in 2015 and 2023 did the play-off end goalless, with DR Congo defeating Equatorial Guinea on penalties in 2015 and losing to South Africa in 2023.
