According to Beijing Youth Daily, Ma Ning and five other Chinese referees have safely arrived in Riyadh after transiting through Jeddah. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, they are expected to officiate the Al Nassr AFC Champions League match as scheduled.

On October 12, the AFC confirmed that six Chinese international referees led by Ma Ning had safely arrived in Riyadh from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, they are expected to officiate the second round of the 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite West Asia region match 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, which corresponds to October 13 Beijing Time (CET). The referees' original travel itinerary had been adjusted due to a bomb attack at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. However, all personnel are now safe, and pre-match preparations are proceeding smoothly.

According to the AFC's referee assignment plan, all on-field and video referees for this match will be Chinese, totaling six individuals. Ma Ning will serve as the center referee, Zhou Fei and Luo Zheng as the first and second assistant referees respectively, Zhang Lei as the fourth official, Fu Ming as the video assistant referee, and Du Jianxin as the assistant video assistant referee. Among them, Ma Ning, Fu Ming, and Zhou Fei have all officiated World Cup matches and are elite referees specially selected by the AFC. The fact that this entire Chinese referee team will independently officiate a high-profile AFC Champions League Elite match demonstrates the AFC's recognition of Chinese referees' professional capabilities.

In accordance with AFC customary practice, international referees typically arrive in the host city approximately two days before a match. This referee team was originally scheduled to arrive directly in Riyadh on October 10 local time. However, due to recent bomb attacks at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which caused casualties, the AFC adjusted the team's flight plan for safety reasons. The referees first arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where they regrouped before proceeding to Riyadh.

The AFC and the event organizing committee continuously monitored the team's itinerary, assessed security conditions in real time, and arranged a safe transfer route for the referees, ensuring their safe cross-border travel. The latest information from the AFC indicates that all six Chinese referees have safely arrived in Riyadh, and the match is expected to proceed as scheduled, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

It is worth noting that since the referees belong to different member associations and some have officiating duties in overseas leagues, the team members departed for Saudi Arabia from various domestic and international airports. Upon arriving in Riyadh, the referee team will complete pre-match preparations, including field inspections, VAR equipment integration and testing, and pre-match coordination meetings, strictly adhering to AFC procedures to ensure high-standard officiating of this AFC Champions League Elite match.

The match between Al Nassr and Neftchi Fargona is a key fixture in this round of the AFC Champions League in the West Asia region. Al Nassr features several internationally renowned players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, which has generated significant attention for the match. The safe arrival of the referee team at the venue means that the match can proceed as planned. As of publication, the AFC has not announced any changes to the match schedule.

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