FIFA President Gianni Infantino has personally greeted the 170 referees, assistant referees and video match officials who will be overseeing the FIFA World Cup 2026™ across Mexico, Canada and the United States.

“Today I really feel great here in Miami, spending time with Team One. The best of the best,” said the FIFA President after attending one of their pre-tournament training sessions. “They've been working for years to be ready for the greatest (FIFA) World Cup ever. And here they are at these great facilities in Miami.”

As part of their preparations for the tournament, the 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials (VMOs) have gathered in Miami for a 10-day seminar. While the VMOs will relocate to the International Broadcast Centre in Dallas, Miami will be home to the rest of the match officials for the duration of the tournament.

“As President of FIFA, and for the whole of the FIFA structure, infrastructure and organisation, it is important for me to show them our support, my support,” added Mr Infantino.

“We are there to assist, to help, to back and support all the referees, the assistants, the (video assistant referees) in their job, which is incredibly, incredibly difficult, not sufficiently recognised. But we do that and the world will see it again, once again, in this FIFA World Cup.

“Their success will be FIFA's success. As I said, they are the best in the world. They are prepared, they have the best conditions. They are ready physically, they are ready mentally, they are ready emotionally. And you know, we will all be successful together.”

Chosen from all six confederations and across 50 FIFA Member Associations, the 170-strong refereeing contingent – featuring six women – makes-up the largest Team One in FIFA World Cup™ history with 41 more match officials than at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.

The match officials were selected via a process which spanned more than three years, with candidates assessed at FIFA tournaments as well as domestic and international competitions.

With Team One based in Miami for the tournament, the referees’ training kit is “pink flamingo” in tribute to the city of Miami. Pink is synonymous with the coastal city due to the once widespread population of flamingos in the region, the impressive palate of the Art Deco buildings abundant in the city, and famous pink sunsets.

FIFA and Team One will pay further homage to the city of Miami and it’s wonderful hospitality by wearing pink jerseys in Miami’s opening match when Uruguay plays Saudi Arabia on Monday, 15 June.

Pierluigi Collina, FIFA’s Chief Refereeing Officer and Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee said the pink uniform is deserved recognition for a city which has been so kind in welcoming the match officials.

“Miami is our base camp so we thought it would be nice to show our appreciation to the city where we'll live for about two months. We chose this 'pink flamingo' for the referees' training material. It's a sort of recognition,” said Collina. “Also, the first match – which will be played in Miami, June 15 – Uruguay v Saudi Arabia, the referee will wear the pink flamingo shirt.”

The FIFA President was also proud to acknowledge the contribution of Miami to the referee’s preparation.

“We are grateful, of course, to the city here for having us here and for welcoming us and for making us feel home,” said Mr Infantino. “It’s hosting FIFA, the FIFA headquarters, the (FIFA) World Cup headquarters, but it’s hosting also the headquarters of Team One.

“Pink is the colour of Miami, and we are all wearing this very nice pink dresses to give a little bit of a shout-out, to give a little bit of a smile to the city which is hosting us.”

The tournament kicks-off on Thursday, 11 June when Mexico host South Africa, a repeat of the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2010™. It will be the first of 104 matches across 16 venues in Canada, Mexico and the United States in what is the most extensive geographical footprint in FIFA World Cup history.