Doha: FIFA has appointed Hani Taleb Ballan, Chairman of the Referees Committee of the Qatar Football Association (QFA) and Vice Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, to oversee the referees at the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup. The tournament will be hosted by the United States from tomorrow until July 13.
Ballan will serve alongside legendary Italian referee Pierluigi Collina, Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, and Massimo Busacca, Director of FIFA’s Refereeing Department, in supervising match officials during the inaugural tournament.
A total of 117 referees have been assigned to officiate at the Club World Cup, including 35 main referees, 58 assistant referees, and 24 video assistant referees (VARs) from 41 national associations.
All officials have undergone comprehensive technical, physical, and medical preparations to ensure top-level performance during the competition.
In preparation, the referees participated in an intensive training camp that featured theoretical sessions, practical drills, and a mock football tournament known as the “Referees’ Cup” - designed to simulate real-match conditions.
The tournament will also showcase the use of advanced officiating technologies, including automated offside detection and goal-line technology.
Additionally, a referee head-cam will be trialed for the first time, offering viewers live footage from the perspective of the match official in a bid to enhance the fan experience.
New time-saving regulations will also be tested. Goalkeepers who hold onto the ball for more than eight seconds will now concede a corner kick to the opposing team, following a referee’s clear five-second countdown gesture—replacing the current indirect free-kick sanction after six seconds.
Qatar will be represented by four referees in the tournament: Salman Falahi (main referee), Ramzan Al-Naimi and Majed Hedirs Al-Shammari (assistant referees), and Khamis Al-Marri (VAR).
