The 2026 edition will feature 52 on-field referees, 88 assistant referees, and 30 video assistant referees across 104 games. England and the Premier League will have six on-field representatives in total, with Gary Beswick, Stuart Burt, James Mainwaring, and Adam Nunn supporting Oliver and Taylor as assistant referees. This will be Oliver and Taylor's second World Cup, as both officiated at the last event in Qatar.
There will only be one Premier League representative in the VAR booth, in the form of Australian official Jarred Gillett. Other notable European referees selected include France's Clement Turpin, Germany's Felix Zwayer, and Dutch official Danny Makkelie. All officials will attend a 10-day preparation seminar in Miami ahead of the tournament.
New rules in force at the World Cup include a 10-second time-limit on substitutions and a five-second countdown on throw-ins and goal-kicks. Referees will also wear body cameras, enhancing the broadcast experience for viewers around the world. Goal-line technology, an advanced version of semi-automated offside technology, and connected ball technology will be used at the World Cup.
For the first time in World Cup history, fans will be able to see things from the referee's on-field perspective thanks to the use of new technologies.