World football governing body FIFA has unveiled the list of match officials for the upcoming 2026 World Cup, with 52 referees selected, including six women.
In addition to the referees, FIFA confirmed that 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials have also been appointed. The officials were drawn from all six continental confederations and represent 50 member associations worldwide.
According to FIFA’s Head of Refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, the selected officials are among the best globally, having undergone extensive screening over the past three years.
“They have been closely monitored, attended several training seminars, and officiated at major FIFA competitions. Their performances at both domestic and international levels have also been consistently evaluated,” Collina said.
The 2026 tournament, to be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is set to be the largest in history. It will feature an expanded 48-team format and a total of 104 matches.
This marks a significant increase compared to the 2022 edition in Qatar, which had 32 teams and 64 matches.
Collina also highlighted FIFA’s continued push for inclusivity, noting that the inclusion of six female referees builds on progress made in Qatar, where women officiated at the World Cup for the first time.
He added that the move reflects FIFA’s commitment to developing women’s refereeing at the highest level of the game.
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