South African match official Abongile Tom has made it onto the final roster of referees for the 2026 World Cup, alongside assistant referee Zakhele Siwela.
This will be Tom’s inaugural World Cup appearance, whereas the seasoned Siwela will be participating for the third time, having previously served as an assistant at the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
Hailing from Cape Town, 34-year-old Tom is recognised as the premier referee in the Premier Soccer League and has held FIFA referee status since 2020.
He officiated in both the 2023 and 2025 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, notably taking charge of the quarter-final clash between Senegal, the eventual champions, and Mali in January.
Excluded from the World Cup line-up is DR Congo’s Jean-Jacques Ndala, who officiated the highly debated Cup of Nations final between Senegal and Morocco, which saw his officiating come under substantial scrutiny.
Tom joins the ranks of esteemed referees such as Ian McLeod (1998), Jerome Damon (2010), and Victor Gomes (2022) who have officiated at previous World Cups.
Compiled by SportArena.au
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