FIFA expert praises Qatar’s referee development programme

DOHA: Qatar’s preparations for its elite referees are comparable to those used for the World Cup, Malaysian referee expert and FIFA technical instructor Mohd Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh said, praising the country’s efforts to develop match officials.

Subkhiddin, an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) elite instructor, was speaking during a training camp for Qatar’s top referees organised by the Qatar Football Association (QFA) ahead of the new season.

“From the moment I arrived and saw the training rooms for the theoretical and video sessions, I felt as though I was looking at a genuine World Cup referees’ preparation programme,” Subkhiddin said. “The exceptional and impressive organisation brought back memories of the World Cup atmosphere.”

He said the technical sessions and video analysis were conducted to a high professional standard, helping referees understand the decision-making processes of elite officials and improve their match-management skills.

Subkhiddin also highlighted the importance of transferring lessons from the classroom to match situations.

“During the practical sessions, we saw a strong connection between what was explained in the lecture rooms and its application on the field,” he said. “We are focusing on developing referees’ ability to quickly recognise and distinguish different situations.”

He said the absence of video replays during live matches made on-field decision-making a crucial test of an official’s ability.

Subkhiddin praised Qatar’s referees, saying the country has officials capable of handling major Asian and international matches. He singled out Abdulrahman Al Jassim and Salman Falahi while also highlighting younger officials emerging from the AFC academy.

He attributed the quality of Qatar’s refereeing to the competitiveness of its domestic league.

“Qatar’s refereeing has a high level of quality because it is simply a natural reflection of the strength of the Qatari league and the level of football in the country,” he said.

Subkhiddin also praised QFA Referees Committee chairman Hani Taleb Ballan, describing him as an important figure in the development of refereeing.