Jalal Jayed
| Born |
1987 (age 38–39) Morocco | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 2015–present | Botola Pro | ||
| International | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 2019–present | FIFA listed |
| |
Jalal Jayed (Arabic: جلال جايد; born 1987[1]) is a Moroccan football referee who has been on the FIFA International Referees List since 2019.
Career
Born in Morocco in 1987, Jayed grew up in Derb Moulay Cherif, a neighborhood of Hay Mohammadi, Casablanca.[2] He began refereeing amateur football games on dirt pitches in 2006, when he joined the Grand Casablanca League. In 2015, Jayed ascended to the Botola Pro, Morocco's top-tier football league, where he has overseen highly notable matches like Casablanca and Rabat derbies, as well as the 2023–24 Moroccan Throne Cup final game between RS Berkane and Olympic Club Safi at Fez Stadium in Fez.[3][4]
In 2025, Jayed was chosen as Morocco's representative at the Africa Cup of Nations in his home country. He refereed the third-place playoff game between Egypt and Nigeria at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca.[5] Since being named a FIFA International Referee in 2019, Jayed has also taken part in international competitions, including the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile and the final match of the second round of the CAF qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup between Nigeria and DR Congo.[1][6]
Jayed was selected in April 2026 to take part in the FIFA World Cup in Mexico, the United States, and Canada.[1][7] He is the first Moroccan to be chosen as a central referee for a FIFA World Cup since 2002, when Mohamed Guezzaz was appointed for the tournament in South Korea and Japan.[7][8][7][a]
Notes
- ^ Both Maroc Diplomatique and Morocco World News mistakenly reported that Guezzaz was a referee at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
References
- ^ a b c Kwame, Edem (9 April 2026). "Meet the 7 African referees named for 2026 FIFA World Cup". GH News Media. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ^ Al-Hajj, Saeed Ibrahim (5 May 2026). "من دروب البيضاء إلى "مونديال 2026".. جلال جيد يصعد إلى قمة التحكيم العالمي". Hespress (in Arabic).
- ^ Ntim, Sylvester (21 April 2026). "Morocco's top referee Jalal Jiyed to officiate FAR Rabat-Berkane clash". Africa Soccer. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ^ "Olympic Safi Clinches First Throne Cup Title in Dramatic Shootout Win over RS Berkane". Kingdom of Morocco, Palace. 30 June 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ^ Myers, Paul (17 January 2026). "Nigeria beat Egypt in shootout to claim third place at Africa Cup of Nations". Radio France International. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ^ "2026 WC Playoff: Moroccan referee appointed For Nigeria vs DR Congo match". Vanguard. 16 November 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ^ a b c Ben Gamra, Farah (9 April 2026). "Four Referees to Represent Morocco at 2026 World Cup". Morocco World News. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ^ Mzali, Yassir (10 April 2026). "Mondial 2026 : Jalal Jayed, premier arbitre central marocain au Mondial depuis 2006". Maroc Diplomatique (in French). Retrieved 9 June 2026.