The list of FIFA referees who will represent Azerbaijan in international competitions in 2026 has been approved by FIFA. Compared to previous years, one Azerbaijani referee has been added to the list of referees, two to the list of assistant referees, and three to the list of VAR referees officiating on the international stage. This development is a clear indication of the progress of Azerbaijani refereeing and the systematic work being carried out in this field.
The list of Azerbaijani referees approved by FIFA for 2026 is as follows:
Referees
Men:
1. Aliyar Aghayev
2. Elchin Masiyev
3. Kamal Umudlu
4. Tural Gurbanov (new)
Women:
1. Farida Lutfaliyeva
Assistant Referees
1. Zeynal Zeynalov
2. Akif Amirali
3. Elshad Abdullayev
4. Parvin Talibov
5. Namig Huseynov
6. Vusal Mammadov
7. Jamil Guliyev (new)
8. Asiman Azizli (new)
Women:
1. Gulnura Akbarzada
2. Sevda Nuriyeva
VAR Referees
1. Nijat Ismayilli (new)
2. Ingilab Mammadov (new)
3. Farid Hajiyev (new)
Futsal Referees
1. Hikmet Gafarli
2. Knyaz Amiraslanov
3. Ali Jabrayilov
Beach Soccer Referee
1. Nail Nagiyev
On the occasion of the inclusion of the new FIFA referees in the list, AFFA Secretary General Jahangir Farajullayev met with the referees, congratulated them, expressed confidence that they would represent Azerbaijan with dignity on the international stage, and wished them every successes in their future careers.
Frank De Bleeckere, Adviser to AFFA Secretary General, Rahim Hasanov, Chairman of AFFA Referees Committee, as well Bahruz Teymurov, Head of Referees Department also attended the meeting. During the meeting, they exchanged views on the prospects for the development of refereeing, increasing international appointments, and the professional training of referees.
