Three Oceania Football Confederation match officials have been appointed to the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026™, with New Zealand referee Calvin Berg, Vanuatu assistant referee Jeremey Garae and Samoa assistant referee Malaetala Salanoa selected for the tournament.
The FIFA Referees Committee has named 81 match officials from 36 Member Associations for the competition, which will be played in Qatar from 19 November to 13 December.
For Berg, the appointment marks his first FIFA tournament. The Dunedin-based official has been on the FIFA panel for three years and has taken charge of OFC competitions since 2019.
Garae and Salanoa will each attend their second FIFA event, further strengthening Oceania’s representation on the global refereeing stage.
(Assistant Referee Malaetala Salanoa will attend his second FIFA competition)
OFC Head of Referees Kevin Stoltenkamp said the appointments were a proud moment for the confederation and reflected the ongoing development of officials across the region.
“Calvin’s appointment is a reward for his dedication, commitment and hard work over a number of years,” Stoltenkamp said. “To have three OFC officials selected for a FIFA tournament is a significant achievement and shows the progress being made by our referees and assistant referees across Oceania.”
The FIFA U-17 World Cup will bring together 48 teams and feature 104 matches in Doha’s Aspire Zone, with the final to be played at Khalifa International Stadium with the tournament running from 19 November to 13 December.
Football Video Support will again be used at the tournament, following its implementation at the 2025 edition.
(Photo Credit OFC Media via Phototek)