Doha, June 01 (QNA) - The Qatar Football Association (QFA) is taking part in overseeing FIFA's referee preparation course, which began on Monday in Miami, the United States, ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Chairman of QFA's Referees Committee and Vice Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, Hani Taleb Ballan represented the Association at the course.

Running until June 9, FIFA's referee preparatory course is a key step in the final preparations preceding the start of the highly anticipated global football event, seeing the participation of all FIFA World Cup 2026 referees, an elite group of international referees from various continental confederations who have been selected to officiate the World Cup's matches.

The course is part of FIFA's program to prepare referees and enhance their technical and physical readiness through a series of theoretical lectures, practical training sessions, and specialized workshops, ensuring the highest standards of officiating performance during the event.

Co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the FIFA World Cup 2026 will run from June 11 to July 19, and will feature 48 national teams for the first time in the tournament's history. (QNA)