Rising Stars: Indian Referees Join FIFA's Prestigious List for 2026

Three Indians, including a woman from Gujarat, have been added to FIFA's official list of referees and assistant referees for the 2026 cycle. Overall, 19 Indian match officials have been recognized by the world football governing body, signaling a significant achievement in the international sports arena.

The world football governing body, FIFA, has added three Indian referees to its esteemed list for the 2026 cycle, marking a proud moment for Indian sports. Among them is Rachana Kamani from Gujarat, who has been included in the list of women referees.

Ashwin Kumar from Puducherry and Aditya Purkayastha from Delhi are also among the newly added referees. Both Kumar and Purkayastha have successfully completed their AFC Referee Academy course in Kuala Lumpur, while Kamani is actively participating in the course.

Additionally, two Indians, Muralitharan Pandurangan and Peter Christopher, have been named as FIFA Assistant Referees. A total of 19 match officials from India are set to play a crucial role internationally as part of the FIFA list for 2026.

(With inputs from agencies.)