Prime choice: Malaysian referee Mohd Nazmi Nasaruddin presents a yellow card to Uzbekistan’s defender Abdukodir Khusanov during the Asian Cup match against Thailand at Al-Janoub Stadium. — AFP
KUALA LUMPUR: National referee Mohd Nazmi Nasaruddin has been selected as one of the main refereeing candidates for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, scheduled for June 11 to July 19, 2026.
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) said Mohd Nazmi will depart for Qatar to attend the “FIFA World Cup Candidate 2026” course scheduled from Feb 25 to 29.
“Mohd Nazmi will also continue to be tested through several FIFA and AFC courses, including matches organised by FIFA and AFC as part of the merit-based selection process for the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” FAM said in a statement today.
FAM informed that Mohd Nazmi, who has been involved in football refereeing since 2010, became the first Malaysian referee to officiate an AFC Champions League match featuring Buriram United vs China, which utilised video assisted referee (VAR) technology last Sept 20 in Thailand.
He, along with his two assistants Mohd Zairul Khalil Tan and Mohd Arif Shamil Abd Rasid, officiated six AFC Champions League matches using VAR, and were also invited to officiate several matches in the Saudi Arabian League in 2023.
His outstanding performance as the referee in the 2023 AFC U-20 Asian Cup final in Uzbekistan last March enabled him and his assistants to be selected for the Asian Cup in Qatar, recently.
He and his assistants officiated the group stage match between Iraq and Vietnam, as well as the round of 16 match between Uzbekistan and Thailand in the Asian Cup. — Bernama
