FIFA on Thursday, 9th of April, 2026 announced its full list of match officials for the 2026 World Cup, set to run from June 11 to July 19, selecting 52 referees six of whom are women. The governing body will also deploy 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials, drawn from all six confederations and 50 member associations.
The total of 170 match officials represents a significant expansion from previous tournaments, reflecting the scale of what will be the largest World Cup in history, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The selection process spanned more than three years and prioritized quality, consistency, and performance across both domestic and international competitions.
FIFA’s Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina emphasized the depth of preparation involved, noting that officials had been monitored, evaluated, and supported by fitness coaches, medical staff, and mental specialists.
The selected officials will convene for a 10-day preparation seminar beginning May 31, with Collina stating that FIFA will “leave no stone unturned” to ensure referees arrive in peak physical and mental condition. Among the returning whistlers is Poland’s Szymon Marciniak, who refereed the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar.
The inclusion of six women officials continues a landmark trend that began at Qatar 2022, the first men’s World Cup to feature female referees.
Two of the six women American Tori Penso and Mexican Katia Garcia are among the 52 head referees, while the remaining four serve in assistant and video match official roles.
Beyond the officiating appointments, technology will play a central role in the tournament, with goal-line technology, a semi-automated offside system, connected ball technology, and AI-powered referee body cameras all set to be deployed giving fans, for the first time, a live view from the referee’s on-field perspective.
