UAE's Omar Al Ali to referee New Zealand vs Egypt in his first World Cup match

Omar Al Ali will referee New Zealand vs Egypt at BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, in what will be the Emirati official’s first World Cup assignment. Kick-off is set for 8pm local time (2am UK time).

Al Ali, 38, has been refereeing at international level since 2015. He is a regular presence in the UAE Pro League and the AFC Champions League, and served as a back-up official at last summer’s Club World Cup.

Running the lines are fellow Emirati Mohamed Al-Hammadi and Qatar’s Taleb Al-Marri. Peruvians Kevin Ortega and Michael Orue will serve as fourth official and reserve referee respectively, while the UAE’s Mohammed Khamid heads up the VAR operation, assisted by Australia’s Shaun Evans. American Armando Villarreal completes the officiating lineup as support VAR.

The match carries significant weight in a tightly contested Group G. Egypt were held to a 1-1 draw by Belgium in their opener, while New Zealand twice led Iran only to be pegged back to a 2-2 stalemate. Belgium and Iran met earlier on Sunday, meaning the winner of this fixture would move into a strong position heading into the final round of group games, with a place in the knockout rounds very much in play.