"A New Milestone for Chinese Football?" China's Curious 'Whistle Consolation' After Missing the World Cup

First Chinese Referee Officiates a World Cup Finals Match Since 2002

A 'Historic Moment' Celebrated as Ma Ning Takes Charge on the Pitch

Chinese Fans React with Mixed Pride and Irony: "While Others Watch the Players, We Watch the Referees"

Chinese football, which failed to qualify for the 2026 North and Central American World Cup finals, is finding a sense of consolation in the assignment of its referees to the tournament's matches. Although the Chinese national team once again failed to advance to the World Cup finals, referee Ma Ning, assistant referee Zhou Pei, and VAR official Pu Ming were all selected as part of the World Cup officiating team.

On June 21, state-run Xinhua News Agency published an article titled "Chinese Referees Stand on the World Cup Stage," describing it as "the most meaningful World Cup participation in 20 years." Previously, on June 20, referee Ma Ning officiated the Group E second round match between Ecuador and Curaçao at Kansas City Stadium in the United States during the 2026 North and Central American World Cup group stage.

(Photo from left) Chinese referees who participated in this World Cup: Pu Ming, Ma Ning, and Zhou Pei. Xinhua News Agency

Zhou Pei served as assistant referee, and Pu Ming was assigned as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). The match ended in a 0-0 draw, with Curaçao earning its first-ever point in World Cup finals history. Referee Ma Ning issued a total of six yellow cards—one to Ecuador and five to Curaçao.

Chinese media immediately described Ma Ning's appointment as a "historic moment." Outlets such as Xinhua News Agency and China Daily reported that this is the first time in 24 years, since 2002, that a Chinese referee has officiated a World Cup finals match. They also highlighted that Zhou Pei is the first Chinese assistant referee to set foot on the World Cup finals pitch, and Pu Ming is the first Chinese referee to serve as a VAR official in the finals.

As reported by Chinese media, Ma Ning served as the fourth official in six matches during the 2022 Qatar World Cup and officiated the 2024 Asian Cup final in Qatar, establishing himself as one of Asia's leading referees. The inclusion of Chinese referees in the World Cup officiating pool itself reflects their accumulated international experience and performance. For this tournament, FIFA appointed 52 referees, 88 assistant referees, and 30 video referees, with FIFA Referees Committee Chairman Pierluigi Collina describing the selected officials as "the best in the world."

Previously, China was eliminated in the third round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, marking its sixth consecutive failure to reach the finals since the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup. Xinhua News Agency also criticized the team immediately after the qualifiers ended, stating, "This team did not have sufficient ability, and the Chinese football ecosystem is also inadequate to support the national team in such fierce competition." However, regarding the repeated appointment of Chinese referees at this World Cup, the outlet assessed it as "evidence that Chinese football has become deeply integrated into FIFA's elite system." In China, reactions to this news were mixed, ranging from congratulations to self-deprecation. China News Service commented, "Ma Ning's whistle is another arrival for Chinese football," while one netizen remarked, "While others look at the players, we look at the referees."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.