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

On October 12, the AFC confirmed that six Chinese international referees, led by Ma Ning, arrived safely in Riyadh from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. All going well, they will officiate the Round 2 match of the 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite in the West Asia region between Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr and Neftchi of Uzbekistan, scheduled to kick off on the evening of October 12 local time (October 13 Beijing time/CST). The refereeing team's travel plans to the venue were adjusted due to a recent 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 appointment scheme, all on-field referees and video assistant referees (VAR) for this match will be Chinese, totaling six individuals. Ma Ning will serve as the match referee, Zhou Fei and Luo Zheng as first and second assistant referees respectively, Zhang Lei as fourth official, Fu Ming as video assistant referee, and Du Jianxin as video assistant referee assistant. Among them, Ma Ning, Fu Ming, and Zhou Fei have previously officiated FIFA World Cup finals and are AFC-selected elite referees. The fact that the entire Chinese refereeing team independently handles the officiating for a key AFC Champions League Elite match demonstrates the AFC's recognition of Chinese referees' professional capabilities.

According to AFC's international referee appointment practices, referees assigned to cross-border matches arrive at the host city approximately two days before the match. Normally, this group of referees was 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, which caused casualties, the AFC, prioritizing personnel safety, arranged for the refereeing team to temporarily adjust their flight plan. The referees first arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where they regrouped before proceeding to Riyadh.

Clearly, during the refereeing team's transit plan adjustment, the AFC and the event organizing committee continuously monitored the referees' travel progress, assessed on-site security conditions in real time, and planned a safe transfer route for the referees, ensuring the safety of their cross-border journey. The latest information from the AFC indicates that all six Chinese referees have arrived safely in Riyadh, and the match officiating is expected to proceed as originally planned, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

It is worth noting that since the referees belong to different member associations in China and some also have officiating duties in foreign leagues, members of this refereeing team departed for Saudi Arabia from different domestic and international ports. It is also possible that some met at a transit point for the AFC Champions League. This is a relatively standard arrangement for AFC cross-border referee appointments. Upon arrival in Riyadh, the refereeing team members will sequentially complete pre-match preparations, such as field inspection, joint VAR equipment testing, and event communication. They will strictly implement the AFC's pre-match work procedures to ensure that the officiating task for this AFC Champions League Elite match is completed to the highest standards.

The match between Al Nassr and Neftchi is a focal point of this round of AFC Champions League matches in the West Asia region. Al Nassr features several internationally renowned stars, including Cristiano Ronaldo, making the match highly anticipated. The refereeing team's safe arrival at the venue means the match can proceed as planned. As of publication time, the AFC has issued no official announcement regarding a change to the match schedule.

Traduzido por IA.

O site do AF já está online! Acesse notícias completas, comentários, detalhes de partidas e estatísticas no seu computador. Acesse: www.allfootballapp.com