Another debutant referee at the 2026 World Cup, this time for match number 40, Omar Al Ali will be the official trying to keep things under control between New Zealand and Egypt, who are more anxious than ever to win their first match in the tournament.
Despite the fact that Al Ali has no prior experience in this major FIFA tournament, he has been working in the Asian WC Qualifiers, where he averaged 3.17 yellow cards across the 6 matches he officiated, in addition to showing two red cards. His performance in this match could be key in helping either New Zealand or Egypt advance to the next stage after a poor start in the group stage.
The All Whites will wear their beautiful, classic white uniform, which could bring them some luck. This, combined with having 8 players born outside of New Zealand, could provide the ideal boost to win against Egypt.
Uniforms for New Zealand vs Egypt
Regarding the All Whites’ uniform, it is just like their nickname: they will play dressed completely in white with minimal black details on the jersey, shorts, and socks. The goalkeeper will wear a striking neon green color across their entire kit, almost the same color as the Egyptian goalkeeper.
The Egyptians will also wear the classic uniform that always identifies them: a red jersey with black shorts and black socks. This will be the first time they use their primary kit, which could also bring some luck to them as they will be playing in a stadium located in a city with very pleasant soccer weather.
Referee for match 40
Al Ali will not only have the opportunity to make his debut at the 2026 World Cup, but he will also be another of the Emirati referees in this tournament who have become a common fixture in FIFA international events. He will be accompanied by a select group of assistants to ensure everything runs smoothly during the match.
- Referee: Omar Al Ali (United Arab Emirates)
- Assistant Referees:
- Mohamed Al-Hammadi (United Arab Emirates)
- Taleb Al-Marri (Qatar)
- Fourth Official: Kevin Ortega (Peru)
- Reserve Assistant Referee: Michael Orué (Peru)
- Video Assistant Referee: Mohammed Khamid (United Arab Emirates)
- Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Shaun Evans (Australia)
- Support Video Assistant Referee: Armando Villarreal (United States)
