Qatar’s support video assistant referee (VAR) at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final reflects on officiating football’s biggest match, the advice that shaped his career, and why he believes Qatar can produce more referees for the game’s biggest stages.
Khamis Al Marri has made history by becoming the first Qatari referee to be part of the officiating team for a FIFA World Cup final, serving as support VAR for the Argentina-Spain showpiece in New Jersey.
His appointment marks another milestone for Qatari officiating on football’s biggest stage, following Abdulrahman Al Jassim’s achievement in 2022 when he became the first Qatari referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup, taking charge of the third-place play-off between Croatia and Morocco.
For Al-Marri, walking into the final brought a mix of emotions.
“The emotions before the match were certainly mixed, between joy and a determination to perform well,” Al-Marri told Doha News.
“I was very happy and focused on excelling in the match, managing it outstandingly, and supporting my colleagues, whether in the VAR room or the referees on the field.”
That focus, he said, came with a deep sense of responsibility.
“My focus was extremely high, and I was happy to have been given that responsibility.”
Advice for the next generation
Asked what he would tell young Qatari referees hoping to follow his path, Al-Marri didn’t hesitate: hard work, and the ability to push through setbacks.
“You must work hard. You’ll face obstacles, and you’ll make mistakes once or twice, but that shouldn’t stop you from continuing to work hard and keep working until you achieve your goals,” he said.
“You shouldn’t stop at the first obstacle you face, or feel that you can’t continue.”
The role of national support
Al-Marri credited the Qatar Football Association and the Referees Committee for helping local officials reach the international stage, while stressing that support alone isn’t enough.
“The great support that came from the Qatar Football Association or from officials helps you, as a referee, to reach high levels,” he said.
“Of course, your performance must qualify you so that the support is effective. If your performance is not of a high level, this support may not get you anywhere.”
“Alongside a high performance level, the support and the development from the Qatar Football Association and the Referees Committee helps us a lot to reach high levels, be it myself or my fellow Qatari referees at the FIFA World Cup,” he added.
“This is a push for other referees and for the Qatar Football Association to continue their support for referees so they can reach major tournaments and finals. This will open the door for the rest of the referees, or for a field referee, to officiate a World Cup final in the future.”
Sharing the moment
Reflecting on how he marked the achievement personally, Al-Marri said joy is something meant to be shared.
“When a person is in a stage of joy, they should communicate with the people they love, or the people they have a good relationship with, and the people who are happy for them,” he said. “I’ll talk to my mother first, as well as my children, my family, and my friends. It’s something that you should always share.”
Qatar’s sporting future
Looking ahead, Al-Marri said he expects Qatar’s role in hosting major tournaments to continue growing.
“Qatar is certainly one of the pioneering countries, or one of the countries that FIFA works with to host major tournaments,” he said.
“I expect that it won’t stop here, and that they will organise more tournaments in the future.”
He pointed to Qatar’s standing in international sport as an advantage for its athletes and officials alike. “As an athlete, when you’re from a country that is well known on the sporting map, it will help you greatly in your work or in whatever field you’re in.”
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