Al-Jassim also officiated two games during the World Cup in 2022. | Photo Credit: AFC.com

Portugal is one of the contenders for the FIFA World Cup 2026 title and will look to start on a winning note against African side DR Congo in Houston on Wednesday.

Who is the referee for the Portugal vs DR Congo game?

Abdulrahman Al-Jassim from Qatar will officiate the Group K game at the Houston Stadium. The 38-year-old has been a FIFA referee since 2013.

He officiated a few games during the 2018 World Cup in Russia as Video Match Official before stepping onto the field for two games during the Qatar World Cup.

Al-Jassim has more than 20 years of experience at the top-level competitions in Asia, including the AFC Asian Cup in 2019 and 2023, every edition of the AFC Champions League Elite since 2014, and four AFC Cups between 2014 and 2019.

He officiates in the Liga Catar and does not shy away from brandishing warnings to the players. During the 2025/26 season, he showed the yellow card in 104 instances in 20 games. He brought out the red card on nine occasions through these games.

During his stint in the previous World Cup, Al-Jassim gave the yellow card to eight players in two games.

Full list of match officials for Portugal vs DR Congo

• Referee: Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (Qatar)
• Assistant Referee 1: Taleb Al-Marri (Qatar)
• Assistant Referee 2: Saoud Ahmed (Qatar)
• Fourth Official: Abongile Tom (South Africa)
• Reserve Assistant Referee: Zakhele Siwela (South Africa)
• Video Assistant Referee (VAR): Khamis Al-Marri (Qatar)

Published on Jun 17, 2026