Kuala lumpur: The Referees Committee of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) today approved the preparation program for referees for the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027, which will be hosted by Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5, with the participation of 24 national teams.

According to Saudi Press Agency, the committee's fourth meeting, chaired by Qatari Hani Ballan, identified the main stages for selecting and preparing referees for the 19th edition of the continental tournament. The first stage will begin with the announcement of the list of selected referees in September, based on strict criteria that include continuous assessment of their performance and levels from 2023 to 2026, as well as physical readiness, medical examinations, and psychological assessments to determine their suitability for one of three roles: referee, assistant referee, or video assistant referee (VAR).

The meeting also stressed that the Asian Cup Referees Seminar will be held in November, ahead of the tournament's preparatory course for referees during the week preceding the opening match.