When the Whistle Goes East: Hafid Daraji Reacts to Egyptian Referees for Algeria vs Congo DR at AFCON
2 January 2026
Referee appointment sparks discussion
Famed football commentator Hafid Daraji has broken his silence, weighing in on the decision to appoint an all-Egyptian officiating team to oversee Algeria's AFCON showdown with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Algeria are set to face DR Congo in the round of 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday.
The Confederation of African Football officially entrusted the match to a fully Egyptian refereeing crew, led by Mohamed Maaref.
Maaref will be assisted by Ahmed Hossam Taha and Mahmoud Abu Al-Rijal, with Amin Omar as fourth official, and Mahmoud Ashour as Video Assistant Referee, assisted by Hossam Azab.
Daraji wrote on X: "Dear friends in Algeria, please avoid talking about referee appointments and avoid judging by motives."
He added: "We should concentrate on motivating our players and encouraging them to continue with the same spirit and level in AFCON."
Daraji also noted that the Gabonese referee Pierre Ahou, who criticized our appointment, was fair in our first match against Sudan.
Punchline: If the whistle travels faster than gossip, may it at least deliver a fair result with a smile. And remember: in football as in life, the best defense is a good counter-attack on the jokes you tell to cover a slip-up."
