Emirati Referee Selected to Officiate at 2026 FIFA World Cup
Emirati trio Omar Al Ali, Mohamed Al Hammadi, and Mohammed Obaid Khadim join the elite list of officials for the North American tournament.
The United Arab Emirates is set to be represented at the upcoming FIFA World Cup finals this summer, not through a national team, but through its match officials. Emirati referee Omar Al Ali has been officially appointed as one of the 52 referees selected for the tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Al Ali will not be working alone; he is joined by two fellow countrymen in the officiating squad. Assistant referee Mohamed Al Hammadi and video match official Mohammed Obaid Khadim have also been named to the roster, ensuring a strong Emirati presence in the technical team managing the world's biggest sporting event.
This appointment continues a proud tradition of UAE officials at the global stage. It marks the second time an all-Emirati team has officiated a World Cup match. During the 2018 tournament in Russia, a similar trio led by Mohammed Abdullah Hassan took charge of the Group C fixture between France and Peru. In that match, Hassan issued four cautions, two to each side, including a yellow card to French midfielder Paul Pogba. However, the match is perhaps best remembered for a moment of human error corrected by technology, where Hassan had to revoke a yellow card after the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) identified a case of mistaken identity.
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The lineage of Emirati excellence in football officiating extends back even further. Ali Bujsaim stands as a historic figure in the region, having the distinction of refereeing at three consecutive World Cups between 1994 and 2002. Bujsaim was a true trailblazer for Asian referees, breaking several barriers during his career. He became the first Asian official to referee a World Cup opening match, the first to take charge of a semi-final, and the first to officiate a third-place play-off.
With the selection of Al Ali and his colleagues, the UAE reinforces its status as a leading nation in football administration and officiating, contributing to the integrity and quality of the 2026 tournament.