Riyadh, December 18, 2024 – The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has officially approved Saudi Arabia's roster of international referees for the year 2025, which includes a distinguished group of 21 male and 3 female officials. This announcement marks a significant achievement for Saudi Arabia's refereeing community, highlighting the Kingdom's growing presence in the international sports arena.
Among the 24 referees selected, eight have been accredited as head referees for international matches. These esteemed individuals include Mohammed Al-Huwaish, Faisal Al-Balawi, Shukri Al-Hanfosh, Mohamed Al-Smaail, Abdullah Al-Shehri, Majed Al-Shamrani, Khalid Al-Turais, and Heba Al-Owaidi. Al-Owaidi’s inclusion as one of the eight head referees is particularly noteworthy, as she continues to break barriers for female referees in the male-dominated world of football officiating.
Additionally, FIFA has recognized 10 assistant referees from Saudi Arabia, underscoring the depth of talent within the country's officiating ranks. The selected assistant referees are Mohammed Al-Abkari, Abdulrahim Al-Shammari, Ibrahim Al-Dakhil, Omar Al-Jamal, Faisal Al-Qahtani, Hisham Al-Rifai, Khalaf Al-Shammari, Saad Al-Subaie, Yasser Al-Sultan, and Eman Al-Madani. Eman Al-Madani’s inclusion is especially significant, as she represents the growing participation of women in the field of football officiating at an international level.
In the realm of video match officials (VMOs), FIFA has also approved six Saudi referees for 2025: Mohammed Al-Huwaish, Sultan Al-Harbi, Mamdouh Al-Shahdan, Majed Al-Shamrani, Abdullah Al-Shehri, and Khalid Al-Turais. These referees will play a pivotal role in overseeing the use of VAR (Video Assistant Referee) technology in international matches, an area that has become integral to modern football officiating.
Beyond the traditional football refereeing roles, Saudi Arabia has also made notable strides in specialized areas of the sport. Yahya Al-Athwani and Reem Al-Bishi have been included as futsal referees, while Hamed Al-Malki has been accredited as a beach soccer referee. These appointments are indicative of the Kingdom's expanding influence in diverse formats of the sport, as well as its commitment to nurturing a broad base of skilled referees across various football disciplines.
The approval of these referees is a testament to Saudi Arabia’s growing stature within the global football community. It reflects the Kingdom's investment in developing high-quality officials who are capable of managing top-tier international competitions. With such a diverse and talented group of referees, Saudi Arabia is poised to continue playing an influential role in the global football officiating landscape in 2025 and beyond.