Cleared by the CAF disciplinary panel, Congolese referee Jean Jacques Ndala remains under close watch. His heavily criticized officiating during the CAN final could impact his chances of being selected among African referees for the 2026 World Cup.
Jean-Jacques Ndala: Cleared by CAF, but under scrutiny for World Cup 2026
In light of the decisions made by the CAF Disciplinary Commission and the latest developments at FIFA, the fate of Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala is becoming clearer.
No disciplinary grounds found by CAF
Despite numerous criticisms regarding certain decisions made during the 2025 CAN final, Jean-Jacques Ndala faced no sanctions. The CAF disciplinary panel found no violations of the Disciplinary Code or competition regulations.
According to reliable sources, the African Football Confederation strictly adhered to the rules: a refereeing error, no matter how significant in sporting terms, does not constitute a disciplinary infraction. In the absence of established facts of corruption, serious ethical breaches, or fraudulent behavior, no sanctions could legally be imposed.
CAF also reminds that attacking a referee without tangible evidence constitutes slander or defamation, which can lead to legal action. Decisions made on the field are final and cannot be overturned by a disciplinary body afterward. However, this does not exempt referees from an ongoing evaluation process based on their technical performance analysis.
Ndala’s future rests with FIFA
While the African context remains relatively favorable for Ndala, especially with the support of his compatriot Olivier Safari Kabene, president of the CAF Referees Commission, the 2026 World Cup will be under the authority of Pierluigi Collina, president of the FIFA Referees Commission. He will decide the final selection of officials for the World Cup.
Jean-Jacques Ndala is among the nine African referees shortlisted for the FIFA elite training camp, scheduled in Doha, Qatar, from February 23 to 27, 2026. This final evaluation phase will closely scrutinize each referee’s physical condition, decision-making consistency, pressure management, game reading, and communication skills. Every performance during the 2025 CAN has been analyzed from Zurich, turning the competition into a real-life test for World Cup access.
Being selected for the Doha camp is a strong signal, but it does not guarantee a final spot in the tournament. With the disciplinary chapter now closed, Jean-Jacques Ndala’s international future will depend solely on his performances, away from media controversies. At this stage, he is still in the running for a second World Cup appearance after the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
List of African officials shortlisted for the 2026 World Cup (FIFA camp – Doha)
Here’s a clean and readable version of the list of African officials shortlisted for the FIFA camp in Doha ahead of the 2026 World Cup:
- Jean-Jacques Ndala (DR Congo)
- Omar Artan (Somalia)
- Ismail Mahmoud (Sudan)
- Amin Omar (Egypt)
- Dahane Beida (Mauritania)
- Pierre Atcho (Gabon)
- Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria)
- Issa Sy (Senegal)
- Jalal Jiyed (Morocco)
