The Digest:
FIFA has unveiled its list of match officials for the 2026 World Cup, featuring 52 referees, six of whom are women. The tournament, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will be the biggest in history with 48 teams and 104 matches. FIFA will also take 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials from all six confederations and 50 member associations. Pierluigi Collina, FIFA's chief refereeing officer, said the selected officials are "the very best in the world."
Key Points"
- The World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
- There are 41 more match officials than at Qatar 2022.
- Six women match officials continue a trend started four years ago.
- Officials were monitored over three years through seminars and FIFA tournaments.
- Domestic and international performances were regularly assessed.
