The preparatory camp for elite referees organized by the Qatar Football Association concluded yesterday. The camp lasted 12 days and included 66 referees, assistants, and VAR referees. It was held at the Intercontinental Hotel in preparation for the 2025/2026 football season, which will start with the Qatar Stars League matches on Thursday, August 14. The final day was packed with law tests to assess the overall level of each referee and the benefits gained during the camp, which included daily lectures on the laws of the game, technical lectures, and discussion sessions on developmental and controversial cases. A lecture was held about the “comet” program, which is used for writing post-match reports. The final day also featured a technical lecture by Massimo Busacca, Director of Refereeing at FIFA, delivered online.

Hani Taleb Blan, Chairman of the Referees Committee, spoke at the camp’s conclusion, urging referees to focus and work hard during the challenges of the new season. He emphasized that referees face a highly competitive season due to changes in the number and quality of professionals contracted by clubs in the Qatar Stars League, and that refereeing must rise to the occasion in all local and international competitions.