KUALA LUMPUR, MAY 20 — Four high-profile match officials from Qatar will referee the 2025/2026 Malaysia Cup final involving defending champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) and Kuching City FC at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, here, this Saturday.
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) in a statement today announced that they consist of Mohammed Ahmed Al Shammari as referee, Yousuf Aref Al Shamari and Khaled Aiad Khalaf as assistant referees 1 and 2, and Meshari Ali Alshamari as Video Assistant Referee (VAR) referee.
“These four officials are not foreign names on the international football stage. The referee, along with the two assistant referees and the VAR referee, have officiated several major tournaments including the FIFA U-17 World Cup and the Qatar Emir Cup Final, proving their experience and credibility in managing high-intensity matches.”
“The appointment of the referee from abroad was made after FAM received an official application from the Malaysian Football League (MFL) to select the best referee to officiate the prestigious 99th edition of the match,” the statement said.
As the Malaysia Cup final is always the highlight of national football, FAM is committed to ensuring that every aspect of the organisation, including refereeing, reaches the best standards in line with the reputation of the oldest and
most prestigious tournament in Malaysia.
FAM previously appointed an outside referee for the 2019 FA Cup final involving Perak and Kedah at the same venue.
They consist of three match officials from Japan, namely Takuto Okabe as the referee, assisted by Akane Yagi and Osamu Nomura as assistant referees 1 and 2.
— BERNAMA
