The FIFA Referees Committee has selected Moroccan referee Mohamed Baroudi and assistant referee Abdel Samad Abrton among 81 officials who will officiate the Under-17 World Cup in Qatar 2026, scheduled from November 19 to December 13, FIFA announced on Tuesday.
The international football body stated in its announcement that there are 27 referees and 54 assistant referees representing 36 member associations of FIFA who will oversee matches in this tournament, which will feature 48 teams for the second consecutive year and will see 104 matches held in Qatar.
The list also includes six female referees, who will form two officiating teams, as part of FIFA's commitment to providing opportunities for the best female referees to advance their careers at the highest level.
Pierluigi Collina, the head of FIFA's refereeing department, stated that “the referees performed well last year throughout the tournament, despite the scale and complexity of the officiating operations,” noting that the organization has once again gathered “some of the most promising referees from each continental federation,” who were selected based on their performance and ability to work within an international team and meet the demands of a major FIFA tournament.
During the tournament, referees will benefit from the support of FIFA trainers, doctors, physiotherapists, and physical trainers, as well as other specialists in officiating, particularly in the areas of video technology and organization.
A video support system, which was used for the first time in the previous edition, will also be implemented in the 2026 edition. Unlike the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology, this system does not include a dedicated video referee but allows coaches to request a review of a situation when they believe a clear error has occurred in one of four specified cases: goal, penalty, direct red card, and mistaken identity of a player. Players can also suggest a review request to their coach.
Most matches will take place in the Aspire Zone, except for the final match scheduled to be held at Khalifa International Stadium, one of the venues that hosted matches during the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Morocco has qualified for this edition of the Under-17 World Cup, where the “Atlas Cubs” will compete in Group H alongside Spain, China, and Fiji.
