Saudi refereeing is taking a historic step towards international recognition with the participation of international referee Abdullah Al-Shehri in the advanced Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology course, organized by FIFA from February 2nd to 5th. This participation is part of the intensive preparation program for referees nominated to officiate matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the premier football event to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
An unprecedented Saudi representation at the global tournament
: FIFA had previously revealed its preliminary list of referees nominated for the World Cup, which included a full Saudi refereeing team of four, representing the largest representation of Saudi referees in the history of the World Cup finals. The team, in addition to Al-Shehri as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), includes referee Khalid Al-Turais, and assistant referees Mohammed Al-Abkari and Abdulrahim Al-Shammari. This team boasts extensive experience gained from officiating important matches at the continental and international levels, such as the AFC Champions League, the AFC Asian Cup, World Cup qualifiers, and youth tournaments like the FIFA U-20 and U-17 World Cups.
The importance of VAR technology in modern football:
The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology, officially adopted at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, is considered one of the most significant technological advancements in the history of the game. The technology aims to achieve maximum fairness and minimize refereeing errors that impact crucial situations such as goals, penalties, direct red cards, and player identification. Therefore, training highly qualified VAR referees, like Abdullah Al-Shehri, is essential to ensuring the integrity and smooth running of matches in the world's biggest tournament.
The impact of this participation on the future of Saudi refereeing:
The selection of such a large Saudi team not only reflects the individual competence of the chosen referees, but also represents the culmination of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation's efforts to develop the local refereeing system and invest in national talent. This achievement places Saudi refereeing among the global elite and enhances the reputation of Saudi football in general, especially given the significant development witnessed in the Saudi Professional League. The experience the team will gain at the 2026 World Cup is expected to contribute to raising the level of refereeing in local and continental competitions, and will serve as an inspiration for future generations of referees in the Kingdom.
