Recently, China's soccer referee Ma Ning talked about his deep feelings about officiating the World Cup in the official interview of AFC in fluent English.
Maning sincerely said: "First of all, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation for giving me the opportunity to officiate at this World Cup. I am determined to do my best to show the world the highest standards of refereeing in my country. Ever since my childhood love of soccer made me dream of becoming a World Cup referee, and the moment I officially became an international referee in 2011, 12 years ago, this dream has been a goal that I have pursued relentlessly. Now, my dream has come true and I have the responsibility of refereeing World Cup matches. I am even more honored to work side by side with the top referees in the world."
Manning also revealed that he has put in a lot of effort in order to prepare for the World Cup, "This year, AFC has organized many referees to participate in the enforcement of the World Cup. This not only reflects FIFA's recognition of Asian referees, but also highlights FIFA's affirmation of the Asian referee training system.
"I often watch all kinds of matches and study different styles and player qualities in depth to enrich my understanding of the game and tactical planning. In the run-up to the World Cup, I keep in good physical and mental shape by refereeing the Chinese Super League matches every week to ensure that I am in the best possible condition to meet the challenge." Manning shared his experience of preparing for the tournament.
"The AFC not only offers multi-level referee training courses, but also has top fitness coaches to assist us with our preparation program, helping us to continuously improve.The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams, and more referees will be involved in enforcing the game. I firmly believe that more Asian referees will shine on the World Cup stage in the future." Manning is confident about the future.
