Everything You Need to Know About the Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay World Cup Match Referee
FIFA announced the appointment of Italian referee Maurizio Mariani to officiate the match between the Saudi national team and Uruguay in the opening of the Green Falcons' campaign at the 2026 World Cup.
The match holds great importance for the Saudi national team, which is seeking a strong start to help compete for one of the qualifying spots from Group H.
The Green Falcons' group in the World Cup includes Spain, Uruguay, and Cape Verde, with strong competition among teams with significant experience.
The Saudi team hopes to achieve a historic feat by reaching the knockout stages for the first time since the 1994 World Cup.
The coaching staff, led by Georgios Donis, relies on tactical organization and the physical and mental readiness of the players during the global tournament.
The 2026 World Cup system provides an additional qualification opportunity, with the first and second from each group advancing, along with the best eight teams finishing in third place.
Mariani is appearing in the World Cup for the first time, having been selected by FIFA among the elite referees to officiate in the major tournament.
Football was not the beginning of the Italian referee's career, as he previously worked in the merchant navy before starting his refereeing career at the age of 18 while studying military science in Venice.
Mariani had a stint as a goalkeeper in his youth, influenced by his father who played in the same position, before choosing to pursue a career in refereeing.
The Italian referee progressed through the refereeing system until he appeared in the Italian league in 2013, then obtained his international badge in 2019.
His focus on mental preparation and handling pressure contributed to his development, making him one of the prominent names in the European scene.
He was chosen for the World Cup after significant continental participations, most notably officiating the UEFA Europa Conference League final between Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano, alongside being part of the crew for the 2025 UEFA Europa League final.
Complete Referee Team:
Main referee: Maurizio Mariani
First assistant referee: Daniele Bindoni
Second assistant referee: Alberto Tegoni
Fourth official: Drew Fischer
Video Assistant Referee (VAR): Marco Di Bello
First Assistant VAR: Ivan Bebek
Second Assistant VAR: Jérôme Brisard
The match holds great importance for the Saudi national team, which is seeking a strong start to help compete for one of the qualifying spots from Group H.
The Green Falcons' group in the World Cup includes Spain, Uruguay, and Cape Verde, with strong competition among teams with significant experience.
The Saudi team hopes to achieve a historic feat by reaching the knockout stages for the first time since the 1994 World Cup.
The coaching staff, led by Georgios Donis, relies on tactical organization and the physical and mental readiness of the players during the global tournament.
The 2026 World Cup system provides an additional qualification opportunity, with the first and second from each group advancing, along with the best eight teams finishing in third place.
Mariani is appearing in the World Cup for the first time, having been selected by FIFA among the elite referees to officiate in the major tournament.
Football was not the beginning of the Italian referee's career, as he previously worked in the merchant navy before starting his refereeing career at the age of 18 while studying military science in Venice.
Mariani had a stint as a goalkeeper in his youth, influenced by his father who played in the same position, before choosing to pursue a career in refereeing.
The Italian referee progressed through the refereeing system until he appeared in the Italian league in 2013, then obtained his international badge in 2019.
His focus on mental preparation and handling pressure contributed to his development, making him one of the prominent names in the European scene.
He was chosen for the World Cup after significant continental participations, most notably officiating the UEFA Europa Conference League final between Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano, alongside being part of the crew for the 2025 UEFA Europa League final.
Complete Referee Team:
Main referee: Maurizio Mariani
First assistant referee: Daniele Bindoni
Second assistant referee: Alberto Tegoni
Fourth official: Drew Fischer
Video Assistant Referee (VAR): Marco Di Bello
First Assistant VAR: Ivan Bebek
Second Assistant VAR: Jérôme Brisard
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