Jeddah, September 26 (QNA) - The Refereeing Committee of the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation has announced the refereeing teams appointed to officiate Sunday's matches on the fourth day of the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup, (Khaleeji Arabian Dyar 27), in the second round of Group B fixtures featuring Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain and Yemen.
Khaleeji Arabian Dyar 27 is held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from Sept. 23 to Oct. 6, 2026, with eight national teams competing across 15 matches.
The Refereeing committee has appointed Jordanian referee Adham Makhadmeh to officiate the Qatar-Yemen match at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium. He will be assisted by fellow Jordanians Mohammad Al Khalaf and Ahmad Al Rawaili, while Iraqi referee Zaid Thamer will serve as the fourth official.
For the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team, Saudi referee Sultan Al Harbi has been appointed as the VAR official, with China's Fu Ming serving as assistant VAR. UAE referee assessor Hamad Al Mazrouei will serve as the referee assessor.
The second match, between Bahrain and the UAE at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium, will be officiated by Kuwaiti referee Abdullah Jamali, assisted by compatriots Saud Al Shamali and Ali Talib Jaraq. Portuguese referee Joao Pinheiro will be the fourth official.
Saudi referee Abdullah Al Shahri has been appointed as the VAR official, with Kuwaiti referee Abdullah Arab serving as assistant VAR. Omani referee assessor Ibrahim Al Hosni will serve as the referee assessor.
The appointments form part of the refereeing programme for the 27th edition of the tournament, which features leading referees from the Gulf region alongside international officials from outside the region. The initiative reflects the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation's efforts to promote the exchange of expertise and draw on diverse refereeing schools and experiences.
The tournament also features referees from Morocco under a cooperation agreement between the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), in addition to officials from Jordan, China, the Netherlands and Portugal. Their participation is intended to strengthen the exchange of international expertise and contribute to the development of the tournament's refereeing system.
Before the kick off of the tournament, all referees selected to officiate Gulf Cup 27 matches attended a preparatory camp in Jeddah. The camp included theoretical sessions, practical training and programmes designed to enhance physical and technical readiness, as well as specialised VAR training. The preparations aim to strengthen coordination among the officiating teams and ensure the highest level of readiness for the tournament's matches. (QNA)