Five Indian Match Officials Added to FIFA International List for 2026

New Delhi, Dec 31 2025 : India has strengthened its presence in global football officiating as five more Indian match officials have been added to the FIFA International List for 2026. Rachana Kamani from Gujarat has been included among women referees, while Ashwin Kumar of Puducherry and Aditya Purkayastha from Delhi join the men’s referees category.

In addition, Muralitharan Pandurangan (Puducherry) and Peter Christopher (Maharashtra) have been inducted as Assistant Referees. Both Ashwin Kumar and Aditya Purkayastha have also completed the AFC Referee Academy course in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, while Rachana Kamani is currently undergoing the same training. With these additions, a total of 19 Indian officials now feature on the FIFA International List for 2026.

This announcement comes as the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw was conducted at the John F. Kennedy Center, setting the stage for football’s first-ever 48-team tournament. Matches will be spread across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, promising expanded group formats and a record number of games.

The draw delivered several intriguing matchups. Morocco, the surprise package of the last World Cup, has been drawn with Brazil in Group C, alongside Scotland and Haiti, making progression challenging for the latter two. England and Croatia have been paired in Group L, a tough group for Ghana and Panama. Italy, if successful in the European play-offs, will join Canada, Qatar, and Switzerland in Group B, creating uncertainty over which teams will advance.

The tournament will kick off with Mexico facing South Africa in the opening match, while South Korea will compete in Group A alongside the winner of the play-off between Denmark, North Macedonia, the Czech Republic, and Ireland.

Indian Officials on the FIFA International List 2026:
Referees: Venkatesh R., Harish Kundu, Senthil Nathan Sekaran, Crystal John, Ashwin Kumar, Aditya Purkayastha, Ranjita Devi Tekcham, Rachana Hasmukhbhai Kamani.
Assistant Referees: Vairamuthu Parasuraman, Sumanta Dutta, Arun Sasidharan Pillai, Ujjal Halder, Muralitharan Pandurangan, Dipesh Manohar Sawant, Sourav Sarkar, Christopher Peter, Riiohlang Dhar, Elangbam Debala Devi.
Futsal Referee: Vishal Mahendrabhai Vaja

This inclusion highlights India’s growing contribution to international football officiating and its continued focus on nurturing talent for the global stage.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)