FIFA has officially unveiled the list of match officials selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
In a statement released on Thursday, football’s governing body confirmed that a total of 52 referees, 88 assistant referees, and 30 video match officials (VAR) have been appointed for the tournament.
According to FIFA, the selected officials were drawn from all six continental confederations and represent 50 member associations, reflecting the global nature of the competition.
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FIFA’s Chief Refereeing Officer, Pierluigi Collina, described the chosen officials as the best in the world, noting that they had undergone a rigorous selection process spanning several years.
“The selected match officials are the very best in the world. They were part of a wider pool of officials that was identified and monitored over the past three years,” Collina said.
He added that the referees participated in multiple training seminars and officiated at various FIFA tournaments, while their performances in domestic and international matches were consistently evaluated.
The 2026 World Cup will be the largest in history, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches, a significant increase from the 2022 edition in Qatar, which had 32 teams and 64 matches.
Notably, six female referees were included in the list, continuing FIFA’s push for greater inclusion in officiating following the precedent set at the 2022 World Cup.
FIFA said the expanded number of match officials is necessary to meet the demands of the larger tournament format and ensure high officiating standards throughout the competition.
Full List of Referees – What You Should Know
FIFA has released the official list of selected referees, but the complete names span dozens of officials across different regions.
Breakdown of Selected Officials
- 52 Referees (Center referees)
- 88 Assistant Referees
- 30 Video Match Officials (VAR)
- From 50 countries across 6 confederations
- 6 female referees included
Confederations Represented
- UEFA (Europe)
- CAF (Africa)
- AFC (Asia)
- CONMEBOL (South America)
- CONCACAF (North & Central America)
- OFC (Oceania)