MIAMI, 8th June, 2026 (WAM) — FIFA President Gianni Infantino has personally greeted the 170 referees, assistant referees and video match officials who will be overseeing the FIFA World Cup 2026™ across Mexico, Canada and the United States.
“Today I really feel great here in Miami, spending time with Team One. The best of the best,” said the FIFA President after attending one of their pre-tournament training sessions. “They’ve been working for years to be ready for the greatest (FIFA) World Cup ever. And here they are at these great facilities in Miami.”
As part of their preparations for the tournament, the 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials (VMOs) have gathered in Miami for a 10-day seminar. While the VMOs will relocate to the International Broadcast Centre in Dallas, Miami will be home to the rest of the match officials for the duration of the tournament.
“As President of FIFA, and for the whole of the FIFA structure, infrastructure and organisation, it is important for me to show them our support, my support,” added Infantino.
“We are there to assist, to help, to back and support all the referees, the assistants, the (video assistant referees) in their job, which is incredibly, incredibly difficult, not sufficiently recognised. But we do that, and the world will see it again, once again, in this FIFA World Cup.
“Their success will be FIFA’s success. As I said, they are the best in the world. They are prepared, and they have the best conditions. They are ready physically, they are ready mentally, they are ready emotionally. And you know, we will all be successful together.”
The match officials were selected via a process which spanned more than three years, with candidates assessed at FIFA tournaments as well as domestic and international competitions.
With Team One based in Miami for the tournament, the referees’ training kit is “pink flamingo” in tribute to the city of Miami.
Source: Emirates News Agency