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The World Cup action continues in Texas today, where one of football’s most iconic names begins what is expected to be his final major international tournament.

After a sensational Tuesday featuring standout performances from Norway’s Erling Haaland and Argentina’s captain Lionel Messi, Wednesday’s spotlight turns to Cristiano Ronaldo as Portugal face DR Congo at the NRG Stadium. The match offers Ronaldo a chance to become the first footballer in history to score in six separate World Cups.

But who will be the man in charge of ensuring fair play during this key Group K clash? That responsibility falls to Abdulrahman Al-Jassim, one of the top referees from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Al-Jassim, a Qatari official, has been on FIFA’s international refereeing list since 2013. Now aged 38 at the time of World Cup 2026, he brings a decade of top-level experience to Houston.

Known for his composure and professionalism, Al-Jassim has overseen numerous high-profile international fixtures and tournaments. His rise on the global stage began in 2019 when he officiated matches in both the AFC Asian Cup and the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Across those competitions, he took charge of seven games, including the quarter-final of the Asian Cup and the semi-final between Haiti and Mexico in the Gold Cup.

His credentials were further strengthened when he was appointed as one of the referees for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. During that tournament, Al-Jassim officiated the group stage encounter between the United States and Wales, and later the third-place playoff between Croatia and Morocco.

In the 2025–26 season of the Qatar Stars League, Al-Jassim demonstrated his firm but fair approach by issuing seven red cards and nine penalties across 14 matches, while maintaining a yellow card average of more than five per game.

His reputation also extends to club football, where in 2025 he officiated the AFC Champions League Elite Final held in Jeddah, featuring Al-Ahly and Kawasaki Frontale — the highest honour available to referees under the Asian confederation.

Assisting Al-Jassim in Houston will be his compatriots Taleb Al-Marri and Saud Al-Maqaleh, both serving as assistant referees. The fourth official for the Portugal vs DR Congo fixture will be Abongile Tom from South Africa.

Video Assistant Referee (VAR) duties will be handled by another Qatari official, Khamis Al-Marri, ensuring a full complement of experienced officials for this highly anticipated World Cup encounter.