FIFA announced the appointment of 170 referees for the 2026 World Cup, which will be played in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The Premier League places seven officials in the tournament, with referees Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor among those chosen, while Jarred Gillett is part of the video team (VAR). 11 nominees arrive from Major League Soccer (MLS), with referees Ismail Elfath and Tori Penso (USA) and Drew Fischer (Canada) as the main representatives; Joe Dickerson and Armando Villarreal will be in VAR roles.
Tori Penso, 39, who officiated the 2023 Women's World Cup final, is one of six women nominated for the competition. Along with compatriots Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt, both assistant referees, she forms the only all-female refereeing team on the field at the World Cup. It is worth remembering that the 2022 tournament marked the debut of a woman refereeing a men's World Cup game, with Stéphanie Frappart making history in an all-female team in the Costa Rica-Germany group stage.
Among the most prominent names is the Polish Szymon Marciniak, who refereed the 2022 World Cup final and is called up again, along with his assistant in that decision, Tomasz Listkiewicz. Also on the list are François Letexier (referee of the Euro 2024 final), István Kovács (Champions League 2025 final) and Raphael Claus (Copa América 2024 final).
In total, 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video elements were selected, representing 50 member associations. FIFA explains that the choice was based on the quality and consistency displayed at the highest level, after an evaluation process that took place over three years. During the tournament, referees and assistants will be based in Miami, while the video team will operate from Dallas.
Pierluigi Collina, FIFA's head of refereeing, underlined the demanding nature of the process: "The nominees are the best in the world. They have been part of a large group monitored over the past three years, attended seminars and run FIFA tournaments, with regular evaluations. They have received, and will continue to receive, full support from our physical and medical preparation teams, including physiotherapists and a mental health specialist."
FIFA has also confirmed that body cameras on referees will be used again, following trials at last summer's Club World Cup and subsequent introduction in several top-flight leagues, including the Premier League.
In the MLS contingent, Ismail Elfath and Drew Fischer stand out among the 11 referees from the North American championship present at the World Cup. In 2022, Elfath refereed two group stage matches and one round of 16 match, as well as being the fourth referee in the Argentina-France final. Fischer worked as VAR in Qatar, including in a semi-final, and now returns as main referee. Both are two-time MLS Referee of the Year award winners, with Fischer triumphing in the last two seasons. Penso is one of two female central referees appointed for 2026, alongside Katia Garcia (Liga MX, Mexico). Among the North American nominees are assistants Kyle Atkins, Kathryn Nesbitt, Brooke Mayo and Corey Parker (USA), Lyes Arfa and Micheal Barwegen (Canada), as well as VARs Armando Villarreal and Joe Dickerson.
