FIFA Announces Referees for the 2026 World Cup

The International Federation of Football (FIFA) has officially unveiled the list of referees who will officiate matches at the 2026 World Cup—the largest tournament in football history.

The final lineup includes 52 referees, 88 assistant referees, and 30 video match officials. They represent all six confederations and 50 national associations, making this team the most geographically diverse in World Cup history.

A Three-Year Selection Process

The selection process took more than three years. Candidates underwent strict evaluation based on the principle of “quality first.” The criteria included:

• Consistency in international tournaments
• Performance in domestic leagues
• Physical and psychological fitness
• Participation in FIFA training seminars

According to referees committee chairman Pierluigi Collina, the list includes “the best referees in the world,” who have undergone comprehensive preparation and regular assessment.

Unprecedented Scale of the Tournament

The 2026 World Cup will be the largest ever:

• 48 national teams
• 104 matches
• 3 host countries

Due to this масштаб, the number of referees has increased compared to the Qatar tournament. Each referee must be ready to step onto the pitch at any moment and ensure top-level officiating.

The growing representation of women is also highlighted, with six female referees included in the list.

New Technologies and Preparation

The refereeing team will be based in Miami, where a ten-day training seminar will begin on May 31. Video officials will later move to Dallas, home of the broadcast center.

Modern technologies to be used include:

• Goal-line technology
• Enhanced semi-automated offside system
• Smart ball
• Body cameras on referees

The latter will allow fans to experience the game from the referee’s perspective for the first time.

Focus on Game Dynamics

New measures will also be introduced to increase match tempo and reduce time-wasting.

FIFA expects the updated refereeing team—known as Team One—to meet the unprecedented challenges of the tournament and maintain high officiating standards at all stages.

Full list of head referees for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Asian Confederation (AFC):
Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (Qatar)
Khalid Al-Turais (Saudi Arabia)
Yusuke Araki (Japan)
Khamis Al-Marri (Qatar)
Adham Makhadmeh (Jordan)
Ma Ning (China)
Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan)

Africa (CAF):
Omar Abdulqadir Artan (Somalia)
Pierre Atcho (Gabon)
Dahane Beida (Mauritania)
Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria)
Jalal Jayed (Morocco)
Amin Mohamed (Egypt)
Abongile Tom (South Africa)

North and Central America (Concacaf):
Ivan Barton (El Salvador)
Juan Gabriel Benítez (Paraguay)
Juan Calderón (Costa Rica)
Ismail Elfath (USA)
Kathryn Nesbitt (USA) (listed as an assistant, but highlighting women’s participation in refereeing)
Victor Penso (USA)
César Ramos (Mexico)
Armando Villarreal (USA)

South America (CONMEBOL):
Raphael Claus (Brazil)
Yael Falcón Pérez (Argentina)
Cristian Garay (Chile)
Darío Herrera (Argentina)
Wilton Sampaio (Brazil)
Facundo Tello (Argentina)
Jesús Valenzuela (Venezuela)

Oceania (OFC):
Campbell-Kirk Kawana-Waugh (New Zealand)

Europe (UEFA):
Espen Eskås (Norway)
Alireza Faghani (Australia / AFC, but officiates internationally)
Drew Fischer (Canada) (works in MLS)
Alejandro Hernández (Spain)
István Kovács (Romania)
François Letexier (France)
Danny Makkelie (Netherlands)
Szymon Marciniak (Poland)
Maurizio Mariani (Italy)
Glenn Nyberg (Sweden)
Michael Oliver (England)
Kevin Ortega (Peru) (officiates international tournaments)
Sandro Schärer (Switzerland)
Anthony Taylor (England)
Clément Turpin (France)
Slavko Vinčić (Slovenia)
Felix Zwayer (Germany)

The full list can be downloaded via the link.