According to Beijing Youth Daily, six Chinese referees, including Ma Ning, have arrived safely in Riyadh after transiting through Jeddah. Barring unforeseen circumstances, they will officiate the AFC Champions League Elite Round 2 match as scheduled.

On October 12, the AFC confirmed that six Chinese international referees, led by Ma Ning, have arrived safely in Riyadh from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Barring unforeseen circumstances, they will officiate the Round 2 match of the 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite Western Region between Al Nassr, featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, and Uzbekistan's Neftchi Fargona. The match is scheduled to kick off on the evening of October 12 local time, or early morning October 13 Beijing time. Previously, due to bomb attacks at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the refereeing team's travel plans were adjusted. However, all personnel are currently safe, and pre-match referee preparations are proceeding smoothly.

According to the AFC's refereeing assignment plan, all field referees and video assistant referees for this match are Chinese, totaling six officials. Ma Ning will serve as the match referee, Zhou Fei and Luo Zheng as first and second assistant referees, Zhang Lei as the fourth official, Fu Ming as Video Assistant Referee (VAR), and Du Jianxin as Assistant VAR (AVAR). Among them, Ma Ning, Fu Ming, and Zhou Fei have all officiated FIFA World Cup finals and are among the elite referees selected by the AFC. The deployment of an all-Chinese refereeing team to independently manage this prestigious AFC Champions League Elite match also demonstrates the AFC's recognition of Chinese referees' professional abilities.

In accordance with standard AFC practice for international refereeing assignments, referees traveling across borders typically arrive in the host city approximately two days before the match. The refereeing team was originally scheduled to arrive directly in Riyadh on October 10 local time. However, due to recent consecutive bomb attacks at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that resulted in casualties, the AFC, prioritizing the safety of its personnel, arranged for the refereeing team to temporarily adjust their flight plans. The referees first arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where they regrouped before continuing to Riyadh.

Clearly, throughout the refereeing team's transit plan adjustment, the AFC and the match organizers continuously monitored the team's travel status, assessed the security situation at the venue in real time, and arranged safe transfer routes for the referees to ensure their safe cross-border travel. The latest update from the AFC indicates that all six Chinese referees have now arrived safely in Riyadh, and the match will proceed as originally scheduled, barring unforeseen circumstances.

It should be noted that because the referees are from different member associations in China and some also have assignments to officiate matches in foreign leagues, members of this refereeing team departed for Saudi Arabia from various domestic and international entry points. During this period, it is not unusual for some team members to meet at transit points for AFC Champions League assignments. Of course, this is a relatively standard arrangement for AFC international refereeing assignments. Upon arrival in Riyadh, the refereeing team will also complete pre-match preparations, including pitch inspection, VAR equipment coordination, and match communication protocol meetings, in accordance with AFC pre-match operational procedures to ensure this AFC Champions League Elite match is officiated to the highest standards.

The match between Al Nassr and Neftchi Fargona is a focal point of this round of the AFC Champions League in the Western Region. Al Nassr features several internationally renowned stars, including Cristiano Ronaldo, making this match highly anticipated. The successful arrival of the refereeing team means the match can proceed as originally planned. As of the time this report was filed, the AFC has not issued an official announcement regarding any schedule changes for this match.

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