Egyptian Whistles Take Center Stage as Algeria Versus Congo DR in AFCON Knockout
2 January 2026
Match Officials Named for Algeria vs Congo DR AFCON Knockout
CAF officially entrusted an all-Egyptian refereeing crew to manage the Algeria vs Congo DR Round of 16 clash at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The knockout fixture is set for Tuesday, as both teams prepare for a Moroccan-hosted quarterfinal passage.
Algeria finished top of Group 5 with a perfect record, while Congo DR advanced as runners-up in Group 4 on goal difference ahead of Senegal.
Mohamed Maarouf will referee the match, with Ahmed Hosam Taha and Mahmoud Abu Al-Rijal as assistants, Amin Omar as the fourth official, and Mahmoud Ashour as the video referee with Hossam Azzab as VAR assistant.
For the first time in this edition, the tournament will feature an entirely Egyptian officiating crew.
Maarouf will be making his fourth AFCON appearance, having previously overseen Sierra Leone vs Equatorial Guinea in 2021, Angola vs Mauritania in 2023, and Burkina Faso vs Equatorial Guinea in the current edition.
Additionally, Hossam Azzab will serve as an assistant VAR to Ghanaian Daniel Laria, in a match led by Kenyan referee Peter Kamau.
Two punchlines to wrap up: If the whistle travels faster than a passport, this game will start before your latte cools. And with this crew, expect penalties to be the only thing that doesn’t run on Egyptian time.
