A historic achievement for Saudi referees at the World Cup
In a move reflecting the significant development of football in Saudi Arabia, FIFA officially announced the selection of a Saudi refereeing team to officiate matches at the 2026 World Cup. The team comprises top Saudi referees who have proven their competence on the field: international referee Khalid Al-Turais, assistant referee Mohammed Al-Abkari, and Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Abdullah Al-Shehri. This participation comes in the exceptional edition of the World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 18 of next year.
Historical background of Saudi refereeing in the World Cup
This achievement was not a sudden occurrence, but rather an extension of a long and distinguished history of Saudi referees on the international stage. Saudi referees have been present at the World Cup for decades, starting with referee Falah Al-Shanar in the 1986 World Cup, followed by Abdulrahman Al-Zaid in 1998, Ali Al-Tarifi as an assistant referee in 2002, Khalil Jalal in the 2010 World Cup, and Fahad Al-Mirdasi in 2018. This historical legacy places a great responsibility on the current team to continue to honor Saudi and Arab sports, and confirms that the Saudi refereeing school has a solid foundation capable of producing competent individuals who can manage the world's most prestigious competitions, especially in this edition, which will witness the participation of 48 teams for the first time.
The importance of the event and its expected impact locally and internationally
The participation of the Saudi refereeing team in the 2026 World Cup is doubly significant for several key reasons. Domestically, this selection is a true testament to the referees working in the Saudi Professional League, which has become one of the strongest leagues in the world thanks to attracting top-tier players. Managing matches of this magnitude, under intense public and media pressure in the domestic league, has honed the skills of Saudi referees and prepared them fully for the global stage. This achievement also aligns with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to position Saudi sports among the world's elite.
On the regional and international levels, FIFA’s selection enhances the status of Asian and Arab refereeing and sends a clear message of confidence in the development and training programs supervised by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, especially with regard to the application of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology with the highest professional standards.
A culmination of successful efforts and contributions
The selection by FIFA was not arbitrary, but rather a culmination of the outstanding performances and remarkable levels demonstrated by the Saudi refereeing team in numerous regional, continental, and international competitions. Perhaps the most significant milestone that paved the way for this selection was their successful participation and distinguished refereeing at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, held last year in Chile, where international observers praised the accuracy of their decisions and their high level of professionalism.
Praise and support from the Saudi Arabian Football Federation
In a related development, the Saudi sports community and officials reacted to this event with pride and enthusiasm. The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, Yasser bin Hassan Al-Mishal, extended his sincere congratulations to the selected referees, wishing them success in their upcoming World Cup assignments. Al-Mishal expressed his hope that the team would present a distinguished image reflecting the progress of Saudi refereeing at this most important global football event.
Al-Mishal also confirmed in his statements that FIFA’s selection of a Saudi refereeing team to manage the 2026 World Cup matches is not a mere coincidence, but rather a continuation of the great confidence that the International Federation places in the Saudi referee, in recognition of the high technical, physical and mental levels he has demonstrated, which have been praised by all followers and specialists in the recent period, which confirms that investing in national sports cadres is yielding results at the highest levels.
