Algerian referee Mustapha Ghorbal to take charge of dead-rubber USA vs Turkiye clash

Mustapha Ghorbal will referee the Group D dead rubber between the United States and Turkiye at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, with kick-off scheduled for 7pm local time (3am UK). The Algerian official is at his second World Cup, having also officiated at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

The match carries no competitive weight for either side. The United States are already confirmed as group winners, while Turkiye cannot climb off the bottom of Group D regardless of the result — making this the least consequential fixture of the final round of group games.

Ghorbal, 40, made his sole previous appearance at this tournament in Scotland’s 1-0 win over Haiti, a game that passed without significant incident. He is one of Africa’s most experienced officials, having twice taken charge of the CAF Champions League final and also handled fixtures at last summer’s Club World Cup.

Assisting him as linesmen are fellow Algerians Mokrane Gourari and Abbes Akram Zehrouni. Omar Al Ali serves as the fourth official, with compatriot Mohamed Al-Hammadi as the reserve official. The VAR team for the fixture is yet to be confirmed.

Elsewhere in Group D on the same evening, Paraguay and Australia meet in a far more consequential contest, with both sides battling to secure second place and avoid the uncertainty of the third-place standings.