FIFA has officially included a refereeing team from Uzbekistan in the roster for the upcoming 2026 World Cup. Led by Ilgiz Tantashev, the group includes assistant referees Timur Gaynullin and Andrey Sapenko. Their selection highlights the growing recognition of Central Asian officiating standards within the international football community.

The 2026 edition is set to feature the largest officiating body in the tournament's history, consisting of 52 head referees, 88 assistants, and 30 Video Assistant Referees (VAR). This reflects an increase of 41 officials compared to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Pierluigi Collina, head of the FIFA Referees Committee, also noted the inclusion of six female officials in the prestigious list.

The 42-year-old Ilgiz Tantashev has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2013 and brings a wealth of international experience to the tournament. His recent assignments include officiating at the FIFA Club World Cup, where he successfully managed matches involving top-tier teams from Europe and South America. His appointment is seen as a reward for his consistent performance on the global stage.

FIFA officials emphasized that the selected referees represent an elite group prepared to maintain the highest standards of the game. According to the committee, each official must be ready to intervene at any moment to ensure the tournament's integrity. The primary goal is to provide fair and high-quality officiating throughout the world’s most watched sporting event.