Emirati refereeing team begins final preparations for FIFA World Cup 2026
Emirati refereeing team led by Omar Al Ali completes local training ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026; FIFA runs a 10-day programme and VARs gather in Dallas ahead of June kickoff.
The Emirati refereeing team, headed by international referee Omar Al Ali, has entered a local preparation phase ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The squad, which includes assistant referee Mohamed Ahmed Yusuf and VAR official Mohamed Obeid Khadem, is completing a UAE Football Association training camp before departing for the United States at the end of May 2026. FIFA’s official pre-tournament programme will follow, with a 10-day course for match officials designed to finalise fitness and technical readiness. The World Cup itself is scheduled to run from June 11 to July 19, 2026, across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Training camp organised by UAE Football Association
The domestic camp is being held under the auspices of the UAE Football Association and the national referees committee. Sessions combine classroom instruction on recent law amendments with on-field drills tailored to the demands of tournament officiating. Fitness assessments and simulated match scenarios are central components intended to sharpen decision-making under pressure. Team members and federation officials stressed the value of controlled local work ahead of international deployment.
FIFA’s 10-day preparatory programme for match officials
FIFA has outlined a 10-day preparatory curriculum for its selected referees and assistants before the World Cup commences. The agenda includes seminars on the latest changes to the Laws of the Game, practical workshops on game management and targeted conditioning tests. The programme aims to ensure consistency across officials from different confederations and to unify interpretation of key match situations. Organisers have emphasised that completion of the FIFA course is mandatory before referees are cleared for tournament appointments.
VAR group to assemble in Dallas ahead of tournament
Video assistant referees named to the tournament will gather in Dallas for centralized briefings and technical rehearsals as part of FIFA’s approved schedule. The VAR cohort will undertake system-specific training and live-match simulations to synchronise communication protocols with on-field teams. Mohamed Obeid Khadem, representing the UAE as a VAR official, will join peers from across Asia and other confederations in the US-based hub. Centralised VAR preparation is intended to streamline decision flow and reduce variability in video review outcomes.
Match-readiness reinforced through domestic league fixtures
UAE Pro League assignments have been incorporated into the local preparation plan to provide match exposure under competitive conditions. Omar Al Ali recently refereed a high-profile encounter between Al Wahda and Al Wasl that ended 3-2, with Mohamed Ahmed Yusuf serving as first assistant. Those fixtures allow officials to practice application of law changes in real-time and to test on-field coordination with assistant referees. Federation sources say measured use of domestic games helps build match rhythm while limiting workload ahead of the international calendar.
Regional representation and experience in the FIFA roster
Asian representation for the 2026 World Cup includes eight centre referees, 12 assistants and five VAR officials, reflecting a mix of debutants and veterans. Omar Al Ali is among five referees from Asia making their first World Cup appearance; other newcomers include Khaled Al-Triss (Saudi Arabia), Adham Mukhadameh (Jordan), Yusuke Araki (Japan) and Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan). Experienced names on the list include Iranian referee Ali Reza Faghani, who will make his fourth World Cup appearance, Qatari referee Abdulrahman Al-Jassim in his third, and China’s Ma Ning returning for a second tournament. The UAE’s selection continues a lineage of international appointments dating back to the 1990s.
Preparations for the officials extend beyond the national camp. VAR official Mohamed Obeid Khadem is also listed in match officiating duties for regional club competition finals, including the AFC event set for May 16, 2026, which serves as a final test under high-stakes conditions. Such regional assignments are being used to validate match-readiness and to give officials exposure to intense game scenarios similar to those they may face at the World Cup.
The UAE Football Association and the referees committee say they are providing logistical, technical and psychological support to the team. Federation representatives highlighted the symbolic importance of the selection, noting that this marks the eighth time referees from the United Arab Emirates have been named to FIFA World Cup rosters. Previous Emirati officials who represented the country at World Cups include Ali Bujsaim in the 1990s and early 2000s, along with more recent appointments that established the UAE’s presence on the global refereeing stage.
Final preparations for the Emirati refereeing team will conclude with the FIFA training course in the United States, followed by assignment to match duties within the tournament schedule. Officials will be monitored continuously for fitness and compliance with FIFA protocols up to kick-off on June 11, 2026. The UAE refereeing delegation departs later in May 2026 for the United States to join the global cohort of match officials for what FIFA describes as the largest World Cup in history.