MA Ning

Ma Ning is a FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) elite referee. He has officiated at international and Asian competitions, and is the first Chinese referee to take charge of two AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Champions League finals (2018 and 2022), a FIFA Club World Cup opening match (2022), an AFC Asian Cup final (2023), and to be appointed to two consecutive FIFA World Cup tournaments (2022 and 2026).

He has received the Chinese Football Association Super League “Golden Whistle” award three times and was shortlisted for the IFFHS (International Federation of Football History and Statistics) World’s Best Referee in 2023 and 2024, the only Asian referee to be included during this period.

In 2026, he officiated at the FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico as a Chinese referee, reflecting the growing participation of Chinese referees in international football and the professionalisation and internationalisation of China’s refereeing community.