Jordanian referee Adham Makhadmeh to officiate England vs DR Congo at World Cup

Adham Makhadmeh of Jordan will referee England’s first knockout-round match against DR Congo at the 2026 World Cup, with the AFC federation official chosen to oversee what promises to be a demanding last-16 tie.

The 39-year-old has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2013 and has already handled two group-stage matches at this tournament — Spain’s goalless draw against Cape Verde and Belgium’s 5-1 victory over New Zealand. Both games passed without major controversy; Makhadmeh issued two yellow cards in each.

Beyond the World Cup, Makhadmeh has experience at the Asian Cup and Arab Cup, including the quarter-final between Algeria and the UAE at the latter competition. Across 18 matches in the 2025/26 season, he averaged 4.7 cards per game.

He will be assisted by fellow Jordanians Mohammed Khalaf and Ahmad Al-Roalle, while Saudi Arabia’s Khalid Al-Turais takes the fourth official role.

England, managed by Thomas Tuchel, face a DR Congo side that have shown they are capable of causing problems at this level. The Central African nation held Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo to a 1-1 draw in their group opener before a narrow defeat to Colombia and a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan. Newcastle United forward Yoane Wissa is expected to be their primary attacking threat on the counter.

The winners of the tie will face a potential away last-16 assignment at the Azteca, adding further weight to a match that already carries considerable stakes for both nations.