The UAE is going to the World Cup finals this summer - in the form of match officials.
Emirati referee Omar Al Ali has been appointed one of the 52 referees for the June 11 to July 19 tournament to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Al Ali will be joined by his countrymen; assistant referee Mohamed Al Hammadi and video match official Mohammed Obaid Khadim.
This will not be the first World Cup to have UAE officials. At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, an all-Emirati team officiated the Group C match between France and Peru. Mohammed Abdullah Hassan took charge, assisted by Mohammed Ahmed Al Hammadi and Hassan Al Mahry.
Hassan cautioned four players, two from each side and including French midfielder Paul Pogba, but had to revoke one yellow card after a case of mistaken identity was spotted by VAR.
Going further back, Ali Bujsaim had the honour of refereeing at three consecutive World Cups between 1994 and 2002.
Bujsaim was a trailblazer for Asian referees. He was the first Asian to referee a World Cup curtain-raiser, the first to referee a semi-final, the first to take charge of a third-place play-off.
