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  • Category: Sport

On June 27, 2026, FIFA announced that Chinese referee Ma Ning will serve as the fourth official in the Round of 32 match between Germany and Paraguay at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Zhou Fei acting as the reserve assistant referee. This appointment marks the first time in history that Chinese match officials will participate in a World Cup knockout stage match.

Match Details

The match is scheduled to be officiated by a Moroccan referee team, with Ma Ning serving as the fourth official and Zhou Fei as the reserve assistant referee. This follows the historic milestone earlier in the tournament when Ma Ning became the first Chinese referee in 24 years to take charge of a World Cup match as the head referee, during the group stage encounter between Ecuador and Curacao on June 20, 2026. In that match, Zhou Fei served as assistant referee and Fu Ming as video assistant referee (VAR), marking the first time three Chinese officials officiated together in a World Cup match.

Historical Significance

Ma Ning's appointment continues a remarkable trajectory for Chinese refereeing. He was selected for the referee team at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he served as a fourth official. In early 2024, Ma, Fu, Zhou, and Zhang Cheng oversaw the 2023 AFC Asian Cup final, making it the first time Chinese referees had taken charge of the championship contest at the continental tournament. Prior to departing for North America, Ma expressed the team's determination to showcase the professionalism and spirit of Chinese referees on football's biggest stage.