Chinese referee Ma Ning makes first World Cup start in 24 years
What's new: Ma worked the Ecuador-Curacao draw in Kansas City, where he showed six yellow cards and drew heavy attention from fans in China.
Chinese referee Ma Ning took charge of Ecuador's 0-0 draw with Curacao in Kansas City on Saturday, becoming the first Chinese official in 24 years to serve as head referee in a World Cup match. Chinese state media cast the assignment as a milestone for the country's football system, even though China failed to qualify for the 2026 tournament. China Daily said Ma showed one yellow card to Ecuador and five to Curacao, while CCTV praised his performance and a video of him on the field drew more than 3.3 million views. Ma, 47, has been a FIFA international referee since 2011 and previously appeared as a fourth official at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.