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117 OFFICIALS · 6 CONFEDERATIONS · VAR + SAOT IN EVERY MATCH
117 officialsSAOT in 16 venues5 rule changes

The whistle who's of WC 2026

117 match officials selected for the 2026 World Cup — 70 referees, 35 assistants and 12 VAR leads. Semi-automated offside in every stadium. Five rule changes from IFAB land at this tournament. Here's the lot.

QUICK ANSWER

FIFA selected 117 referees for the 2026 World Cup — 70 lead referees, 35 assistant referees, and 12 video assistant referees (VARs). All 6 confederations represented. Every match uses semi-automated offside technology (same system as Qatar 2022). 5 new IFAB rules are in play, including the goalkeeper 8-second rule.

Who's in the crew

UEFA
20
Europe · most experienced KO-round contingent
CONMEBOL
12
South America · including Wilton Sampaio, Néstor Pitana protégés
CONCACAF
11
Host confederation · Mexican, US + Canadian crews
AFC
13
Asia · semi-auto offside specialists from the J-League / K-League
CAF
10
Africa · strong UCL group-stage track record
OFC
4
Oceania · 4 referees per FIFA quota

SOURCE: FIFA REFEREE COMMITTEE COMMUNIQUE · JANUARY 2026 DOHA SEMINAR

5 rule changes in play at WC 2026

RULE 1

Goalkeeper 8-second rule

Keepers can hold the ball for 8 seconds (up from 6) before a corner is awarded to the opposition. Visible 5-4-3-2-1 referee countdown.

RULE 2

Handball in build-up review

Clearer trigger for VAR: only handball in the IMMEDIATE phase before a goal is reviewable. Stops the long-tail review for handball multiple phases back.

RULE 3

Semi-automated offside

Same system as Qatar 2022 — limb-tracking + ball-tracking generates the offside line in <25 seconds. 12 cameras per stadium.

RULE 4

Delayed restarts

Tighter yellow-card threshold for players who delay corners, free-kicks, throw-ins. Match clock visible on stadium screens.

RULE 5

Captain-only protests

Only the captain can approach the referee to discuss a decision. Other players approaching = yellow card.

The VAR setup

Each match has a 4-person VAR crew based in the Video Assistant Referee operations room (VOR): one lead VAR, three assistant VARs (AVAR1 reviews the broadcast, AVAR2 reviews offsides, AVAR3 monitors VAR2's screen). 12 cameras per stadium feed the limb-tracking system.

Four reviewable categories — same as 2022: goals (and incidents leading to goals), penalty decisions, direct red cards, mistaken identity. Average review time at Qatar 2022 was 1:42 per check.

More from World Cup 2026

HubFormat explainedPrize moneyAll 16 venues
WC MATCHDAY BRIEF · ONE LIST, TWO SEASONS

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