Qatari referee Abdulrahman Al-Jassim to officiate Ronaldo's World Cup opener against DR Congo

Abdulrahman Al-Jassim will referee Portugal’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Group K opener against DR Congo at NRG Stadium in Houston, with Cristiano Ronaldo chasing history as the first player to score at six World Cup tournaments.

Al-Jassim is a 38-year-old Qatari official who has been on FIFA’s international list since 2013. He brings considerable experience of high-stakes international football to the assignment, having officiated at major tournaments since 2019, when he took charge of a quarter-final at the AFC Asian Cup and a semi-final at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the same year.

At the 2022 World Cup on home soil in Qatar, Al-Jassim handled the group stage fixture between the United States and Wales as well as the third-place play-off between Croatia and Morocco. More recently, he officiated the 2025 AFC Champions League Elite final between Al-Ahly and Kawasaki Frontale in Jeddah, the top club honour available to Asian confederation officials.

His domestic record in the 2025-26 Qatar Stars League reflects a firm disciplinary approach: seven red cards in 14 matches, nine penalties awarded, and yellow cards issued at a rate of more than five per game.

Fellow Qatari officials Taleb Al-Marri and Saud Al-Maqaleh will serve as Al-Jassim’s assistant referees in Houston. Abongile Tom of South Africa is the fourth official, while compatriot Khamis Al-Marri will lead the VAR operation.

Portugal’s match against DR Congo is one of the most anticipated fixtures of the tournament’s opening days, following headline performances from Norway’s Erling Haaland and Argentina captain Lionel Messi on Tuesday.