CAF Selects Four Moroccan Referees to Officiate AFCON Tournaments

Rabat – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has selected four Moroccan referees to officiate the matches of the U-23 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), which will be held in Morocco from June 24 to July 8.

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) confirmed in a statement released on May 28 the participation of four Moroccan referees in the tournament’s finals. The referees are main referee Jalal Jiyed, assistant referees Hamza Nassiri and Abdessamad Abertoune, and VAR official Adel Zawraq.

According to the FRMF, CAF also chose former Moroccan referee Mohamed El Kazaz as a technical trainer and Yahya Hadka as a judge of the tournament’s referees.

The 2023 U-23 AFCON marks the fourth edition of the tournament organized by CAF every four years.

The tournament, which determines the African football teams that qualify for the next Olympic Games in Paris, will be held in Morocco from June 24 to July 8, with eight participating teams.

The teams that will participate include Morocco, Egypt, Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, and Niger.

The Moroccan team will play in group A along with Ghana, Congo, and Guinea.

Morocco will face Guinea on the first matchday on June 24. On June 27, they will play against Ghana, and then against Congo on June 30. All three games will take place at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.

Morocco’s last appearance in this tournament was in 2011 when they finished second, losing the final 2-1 against Gabon.