The referees take part in the fitness tests.
Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s elite referees underwent physical fitness tests conducted by the Qatar Football Association (QFA) at the Aspire Academy as part of the preparation program ahead of the new season, with the participation of 61 referees.
The tests precede the annual preparatory camp for elite referees scheduled from August 7 to 18, which includes technical lectures, analysis of refereeing cases and practical applications on the field.
The tests were attended by all the referees, with the exception of the international refereeing team that officiated at FIFA World Cup 2026 comprising Abdulrahman Al Jassim, Talib Salem, Saud Ahmed and Khamis Al Marri. The quartet will however undergo physical fitness tests during the referees’ preparatory camp, which precedes the start of Doha Bank Stars League.
Hani Taleb Balan, Chairman of the Referees’ Committee, attended the fitness tests, along with Valentin Ivanov, technical expert at the refereeing department of QFA. The tests were supervised by Banjar Al Dosari, a fitness instructor at FIFA and Khamis Al Kuwari, an instructor at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), with the support of fitness trainers of the refereeing department.
The referees had begun their physical conditioning program on June 25 as part of a five-week plan aimed at reaching the required readiness before the start of the new season.
The Referees’ Committee, through its preparatory programme seeks to equip referees in the best possible way, in line with the requirements of the new season, and to enhance the quality of refereeing performance in various competitions of Qatar Football Association, most notably the Doha Bank Stars League.
In a related development, the QFA’s Refereeing Department will hold a series of meetings with club representatives from August 8 to 17. These meetings will review and explain the new amendments to the Laws of the Game and address any club inquiries, ensuring a unified understanding and application of the changes before the start of the new season.
These initiatives reflect QFA’s commitment to developing the refereeing system and preparing referees and clubs for the new season, keeping pace with the latest updates and amendments to the Laws of the Game.
