FIFA has appointed Moroccan referee Jalal Jayed to officiate Uzbekistan’s crucial Group K match against Portugal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Jayed will be assisted by fellow Moroccans Zakaria Brinsi and Mostafa Akarkad, while South Africa’s Abongile Tom and Zakhele Siwela will serve as the fourth and reserve assistant officials, respectively.
The match is scheduled to take place on June 23 and could prove decisive for Uzbekistan’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage. After losing 3-1 to Colombia in their opening match, Fabio Cannavaro‘s side need a positive result against Portugal to remain in contention for qualification. Portugal, meanwhile, drew 1-1 with DR Congo in their tournament opener.
Jayed is one of Morocco’s leading FIFA-listed referees and has extensive experience officiating international competitions. His refereeing team has already worked a World Cup match earlier in the tournament, overseeing Germany’s victory over Curaçao in Group E.
The Portugal-Uzbekistan encounter will kick off at 22:00 Tashkent time on June 23.
