DUBAI: Hani Taleb Ballan, Chairman of the Qatar Football Association’s (QFA) Referees Committee and Vice Chairman of FIFA’s Referees Committee, is set to participate in the FIFA Referees Seminar in Dubai, UAE, from January 27 to 31. The event brings together referees nominated to officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The symposium will host 32 international referees from Asia, Africa, and Oceania, alongside prominent figures such as Pierluigi Collina, Chairman of FIFA’s Referees Committee, and Massimo Busacca, Director of FIFA’s Refereeing Department. Renowned experts and lecturers will also contribute to the program. Among the attendees are two Qatari referees, Abdulrahman Al Jassim and Salman Falahi, marking the first time Qatar has had two referees nominated for FIFA World Cup matches. Other notable participants include Omani referee Ahmed Al Kaf, Saudi officials Mohammed Al Huwaish and Khaled Al Turais, Emirati referees Adel Al Naqbi and Omar Al Ali, and Australian-Iranian referee Ali Reza Faghani. Referees from Uzbekistan, China, South Korea, Malaysia, Kuwait, and Jordan will also be present. From Africa, referees such as Morocco’s Jalal Jaid, Algeria’s Youssef Kamouh and Mustafa Gherbal, and Egypt’s Mohamed Marouf and Amin Omar will attend. Oceania will be represented by New Zealander Campbell Kirk and Solomon Alhakam Ben Okway. The seminar will cover technical, physical, and medical aspects of refereeing through a mix of theoretical and practical sessions. Referees will undergo rigorous tests and participate in a dedicated tournament to simulate real-match scenarios. Notably, the event will exclude video technology to emphasize the development of independent decision-making skills.