The journey of Jalal Jayed from the humble sand pitches of Casablanca to officiating at the prestigious World Cup is nothing short of remarkable. In 2006, while Germany basked in the glow of its summer fairy tale, Jayed was just beginning his career as an amateur referee in his hometown. Fast forward 20 years, and this 39-year-old Moroccan is set to make his mark on the world stage as he oversees the opening match of the German national football team against newcomers Curacao, scheduled for Sunday at 19:00 CEST (ARD and MagentaTV).
Jayed will not be alone in this monumental task; he will be assisted by fellow Moroccan officials Zakaria Brinsi and Mostafa Akarkad on the sidelines, with South African Abongile Tom stepping in as the Fourth Official. The identities of the Video Assistant Referees (VAR) have not been disclosed by FIFA, adding an air of suspense to the match.
Although Jayed has been on FIFA's referee list since 2019, he is relatively inexperienced on the grandest of stages. His resume includes four matches at the Africa Cup of Nations, notably officiating the third-place playoff during last winter’s tournament, in addition to four games at the U20 World Cup in 2025. Since 2015, he has been officiating matches in Botola Pro, Morocco's premier league, and has shown his prowess in African Champions League encounters, proving himself as a capable referee in high-stakes situations. According to FIFA's referee chief Pierluigi Collina, only the best referees are selected for the finals, a testament to Jayed's capabilities.
Jayed was originally one of seven African referees among the 52 chosen to officiate at the World Cup, all of whom are currently based in Miami. However, following the U.S. authorities' denial of entry for Omar Artan from Somalia, the number has been reduced. This situation briefly overshadowed Jayed's assignment for the German match. Additionally, the European Football Association (UEFA) announced that Artan would officiate the Super Cup between Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League champions Aston Villa. Nevertheless, Jayed is eagerly anticipating his World Cup debut, a dream he has worked tirelessly to achieve.
As reported by n-tv.de.
