Colina selects 52 referees for the World Cup, six of whom will be women

The International Football Federation (FIFA) today announced the list of referees who will officiate at the 2026 World Cup, after a detailed selection process that lasted more than three years.

The so-called "FIFA Team One" consists of 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video referees, coming from all six confederations and 50 national associations, which represents the largest refereeing line-up in World Cup history.

FIFA said that the appointments were made according to the "quality first" principle, taking into account the candidates' continued good performance in FIFA competitions, as well as in international and domestic leagues.

The president of the FIFA Referees Committee, Pierluigi Collina, stated that the selected referees are "the best in the world", emphasizing that over the past three years they have been under constant supervision, participated in seminars and refereed at major competitions.

"The goal is for all referees to be in optimal physical and mental condition when they arrive in Miami on May 31," said Colina, noting that they will have the continued support of fitness trainers, medical staff and mental preparation experts.

He recalled that the 2026 World Cup will be the largest in history, with 48 national teams and 104 matches, and that the refereeing team will be 41 more members than at the tournament in Qatar in 2022. Six women are among those selected, continuing the trend started at the previous championship.

During the tournament, referees will train daily, with the participation of local players, while analysts will provide detailed preparations for each match.

Technology will, as before, play a key role in decision-making. Goal-line technology, an improved version of the semi-automated offside, and the "connected ball" will be used. For the first time in World Cup history, spectators will have an insight into the events from the referee's perspective on the pitch thanks to new technological solutions.

FIFA refereeing director Massimo Bussaca pointed out that preparations for the tournament began immediately after the end of the World Cup in Qatar, through a system of seminars, workshops and continuous monitoring of candidates.

The judging team will be based in Miami, where a ten-day preparatory seminar will be held starting May 31. After that, the video judges will move to Dallas, where the International Broadcasting Center will be located, while the other members will remain in Miami.

FIFA also announced new measures to speed up the game and reduce time delays, as well as further improvements to the VAR system. Also, body cameras on referees, with image stabilization using artificial intelligence, will give fans a more detailed insight into situations on the pitch.