Washington, July 22 (QNA) - Vice Chairman of FIFA's referees committee Hani Taleb Ballan said that Qatari officials continue to strengthen their presence at the world's biggest sporting events, reflecting Qatar's growing role not only in hosting major tournaments but also in contributing to the governance of international sport through national professionals serving in senior leadership positions.
In remarks released today, Ballan said Qatar's role has evolved beyond hosting tournaments to becoming a key partner in their management and organization. He attributed this to years of investment in human capital, noting that Qatar had long recognized that developing people was the foundation for success. As a result, Qatari officials now serve on a wide range of organizational, technical, and refereeing committees within both FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
He added that this international presence had been earned through competence, experience, and the ability to deliver results rather than through favoritism, saying it was a source of pride while also increasing the responsibility to maintain those standards.
In addition to serving as Vice Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, Ballan is Chairman of the AFC Referees Committee, Chairman of the Referees Committee of the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation, and Chairman of the Qatar Football Association's Referees Committee.
Commenting on the participation of the Qatari refereeing team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Ballan said he was proud of their performances and stressed that reaching the World Cup was no longer an exception for Qatari referees but the natural outcome of years of development. He said the Qatari officiating team had consistently demonstrated over recent years that it ranks among the world's top refereeing crews and fully deserved to officiate at football's biggest tournaments. He added that participation in the World Cup had become an expected achievement for Qatari referees thanks to the work of the officials themselves, the referees committee, and the Qatar Football Association.
Ballan said he was proud of the performances delivered by the Qatari referees, noting that they had officiated their matches with a high level of competence and professionalism, continuing the standards they had established at previous FIFA World Cups, AFC Asian Cups, and other international competitions.
He also described the appointment of international referee Khamis Al Marri to the officiating team for the World Cup final as another historic milestone for Qatari refereeing. Ballan said Al Marri's selection for the final represented recognition of the entire Qatari refereeing system and was well deserved based on his outstanding performances throughout the tournament.
Regarding Qatar's national team, Ballan said he was pleased to see the side qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, describing qualification itself as an important milestone for Qatari football.
He said the achievement reflected the country's continued presence among the world's leading national teams. While expressing the hope that Qatar could have achieved better results, he noted that football is full of challenges and emphasized that the most important outcome was gaining experience that would benefit the team in future competitions.
He added that the Qatari national team possesses the foundations needed to continue its development and said participation in tournaments of this scale represents an important investment in the future.
Ballan also praised the support shown by Qatari fans during the World Cup, describing it as one of the tournament's major successes because it projected a positive image of Qatar and its people.
He said Qatari supporters had represented their country in an exemplary manner and served as outstanding ambassadors. Ballan noted that he had received positive feedback from officials, media representatives, and fans from around the world praising the supporters' respectful behavior, discipline, and organization. He added that such conduct was consistent with the long-standing reputation of Qatari fans, who have always stood behind their national team under all circumstances.
Speaking about the referees' preparation program before the World Cup, Ballan said the FIFA Referees Committee had ensured that match officials were prepared according to the highest technical and physical standards to guarantee their readiness for the tournament. He noted that upon arriving, the referees underwent a final nine-day preparation program during which they were divided into two groups: one for on-field referees and another for video assistant referees (VAR).
Ballan said the preparation process continued throughout the tournament rather than ending with the opening match. He said that the daily program focused particularly on the officials assigned to upcoming fixtures through intensive practical training sessions, complemented by tactical briefings with specialist instructors analyzing the playing styles of participating teams. He added that this preparation helped referees improve their positioning, movement, anticipation, and decision-making during matches. (QNA)