The Referees Committee of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation announced the appointment of Portuguese referee João Pinheiro to officiate the match between Al-Ahli Saudi and Al-Hilal Saudi.

This match is part of the semi-finals of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup, scheduled to take place at the Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah on Wednesday evening.

The match holds great significance due to its artistic and popular value, which prompted the committee to select an experienced European referee to manage it.

Pinheiro is 38 years old and began his refereeing career in September 2015, before receiving his international badge just one year later.

The Portuguese referee officiated 429 matches during his career, issuing 1,936 yellow cards, indicating his strict style on the field.

At the Saudi Professional League level, he has previously officiated 8 matches, during which he issued 29 yellow cards without any red cards and awarded 5 penalty kicks.

In the King's Cup tournament, he officiated only one match, during which he issued 4 yellow cards and awarded one penalty kick.

The anticipated summit is expected to commence at 10 PM Mecca time, amid significant public and media interest.