2026 World Cup Qualifiers: Qatari refereeing team appointed for Japan-Bahrain match

DOHA: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Referees Committee has assigned a Qatari officiating team to oversee the highly anticipated Japan vs. Bahrain match in the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Abdulrahman Al Jassim will take charge as the match referee, with Taleb Salem Al Marri and Saud Ahmed serving as the first and second assistant referees, respectively.

Abdulhadi Al Ruwaili has been appointed as the fourth official, while Khamis Al Marri and Meshari Al Shammari will oversee the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) operations.

The match is scheduled for Thursday, March 20, as part of the seventh round of Group C in the Asian qualifiers, and will be held at Saitama Stadium in Japan.

Meanwhile, another Qatari referee, Abdulrahman Abdo, has been selected to officiate the Iraq vs. Kuwait encounter, which will take place the same day at Basra International Stadium, also as part of the seventh round of qualifiers.

The AFC’s continued appointment of Qatari referees for high-profile international fixtures highlights their growing reputation on the global stage.