FIFA appoints 81 referees for U-17 World Cup in Qatar

The FIFA Referees Committee has announced the list of referees and assistant referees selected to officiate at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026™, which will be held from November 19 to December 13, 2026.

A total of 81 referees have been chosen for the tournament, including 27 main referees and 54 assistant referees, representing 36 member associations.

As part of FIFA’s ongoing commitment to providing opportunities for female referees at major international tournaments, the list includes two all-female officiating teams, each comprising a main referee and two assistant referees.

FIFA Referees Committee Chairman Pierluigi Collina said, “Last year’s edition of the tournament required complex and extensive refereeing arrangements, and the officiating teams demonstrated a very high level of quality and consistency.” He added that this year’s selection features promising refereeing talent from various confederations, chosen not only for their performance but also for their ability to work within an international team and meet the demands of a major FIFA tournament.

Massimo Busacca, FIFA’s Director of Refereeing, said, “The 2025 edition of the tournament highlighted the importance of giving refereeing talent the chance to develop their skills in a challenging international environment. We saw increased confidence and broader experience among the referees, with several making significant career progress since then.” He noted that this year’s referees were selected with the same long-term goal: preparing the next generation to deliver the highest standards in football officiating.

Throughout the tournament, referees will be supported by a dedicated FIFA team, including refereeing experts, medical staff, physiotherapists, fitness trainers, and specialists in video-assisted refereeing and event organization.

The FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026™ will again feature the Football Video Support (FVS) system, which was successfully used last year. Unlike traditional video refereeing, FVS does not automatically review all potentially match-changing incidents. Instead, each team’s coach may request a limited number of reviews during a match if there is a clear error related to a goal, penalty, direct red card, or mistaken identity. Players may also suggest a review to their coach.

The tournament will see 48 teams compete in 104 matches, all held at Aspire Zone, with the final taking place at Khalifa International Stadium, which previously hosted matches during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. This marks the second consecutive annual edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup™ hosted by Qatar, as part of a five-year run.