Doha, September 28 (QNA) – Several Qatari referees will work matches in the second round of the 2025–2026 AFC Elite Champions League and the opening round of the 2025–2026 Gulf Champions League, the Qatar Football Association has announced.

A full Qatari officiating crew—comprising Abdulrahman Al Jassim, Taleb Salem, Saud Ahmed, Abdullah Al Athba, and Mohammed Al Sharif—will oversee the AFC Elite Champions League fixture between FC Seoul of South Korea and Buriram United of Thailand, scheduled for Tuesday in the South Korean capital.

On the same day, experienced referee Abdulrahman Abdo will take on the role of referee assessor in the high-profile continental matchup between Al Ittihad (Saudi Arabia) and Shabab Al Ahli (UAE), taking place in Jeddah.

Meanwhile, in the Gulf Champions League, Khamis Al Marri will serve as Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for the match between Zakho of Iraq and Qadsia SC of Kuwait. In addition, Mowla Hussein has been assigned as referee assessor for the clash between Al Ain (UAE) and Sitra Club (Bahrain), to be held in Al Ain.

These assignments underscore the growing reputation of Qatari referees, as they continue to play a prominent role in top-tier competitions across Asia and the Gulf region. (QNA)