The Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala received a strong shock after being excluded from the list of referees assigned to officiate the 2026 World Cup matches by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).

This decision comes as a penalty for the controversial performance by Ndala during the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations between Morocco and Senegal, where he did not adhere to the regulations in cases of team withdrawal, which sparked widespread debate among fans and the media.

Nadala avoided announcing the end of the match after the Senegalese team withdrew, and refrained from issuing warnings to the players upon their return to the field on the recommendation of the CAF referees committee chairman, Olivier Safari. He also made significant errors, including counting a goal for Senegal despite a clear foul before Pape Gueye's shot.

The final was attended by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and CAF President Patrice Motsepe, which added extra significance to the event on the international stage.