The Brazilian whistler who appeared most in the league until the 22nd round

Statistics monitored by Emirates Today revealed that the Brazilian whistler is the most prominent among the foreign refereeing teams that officiated professional league matches until the 22nd round, after appearing in five matches.

Referee Ramon Abate led the matches between Al-Sharjah and Al-Jazira, and Al-Jazira with Shabab Al-Ahly, and his compatriot Rafael Klaus led the match between Shabab Al-Ahly and Al-Sharjah, while Wilton Sampaio officiated the matches between Kalba and Al-Wasl, and Al-Ain with Al-Nasr.

South Korean and Argentinian refereeing also appeared four times each, as South Korean referee Kim Jong officiated the matches of Baniyas with Al Jazira and Al Wahda with Sharjah, and his compatriot Kim Manning refereed the matches of Al Wahda with Al Nasr and Shabab Al Ahly with Al Wasl.

At the Argentine refereeing level, Facundo Tello officiated the matches of Ajman with Al Ain, and Al Dhafra with Sharjah, while his compatriots Dario Herrera and Yael Falcon led the matches of Al Ain with Kalba, and Sharjah with Shabab Al Ahly, respectively.

By the end of the 22nd round, the league witnessed the holding of 154 matches, of which 46 matches were administered by foreign refereeing teams, amounting to about 29.9% of the total matches.

The total number of foreign referees who have appeared in the league so far has reached 35.

The Turkish, German, French and Russian whistle sounded three times for each, as Turkish referee Halil Umut Miller led the matches of Dibba with Al Ain, Al Wasl with Sharjah, and Al Wasl with Al Wahda.

German referee Felix Zweier officiated the matches between Al Jazeera and Al Ain, and Shabab Al Ahly with Al Ain, while his compatriot Sven Jablonski led the match between Baniyas and Al Ain.

At the French refereeing level, Clément Turpin officiated the matches between Al-Wasl and Al-Ain, and Al-Ain and Al-Wasl, while his compatriot François Letexier led the match between Al-Wasl and Al-Jazira.

With the Russian whistle, Sergey Karasev officiated the Al-Nasr match with Al-Wasl, and his compatriots Sergey Ivanov and Kirill Levnikov led the matches of Al-Ain with Al-Wasl, and Al-Ain with Ajman, respectively.

The Mexican, Dutch and Slovak whistles sounded twice for each of them. Mexican referee Cesar Ramos officiated the matches between Al Wahda and Al Jazira, and Khor Fakkan and Al Ain, while Dutch referee Serdar Gozebuyuk officiated the Al Jazira match with Al Wahda, and his compatriot Danny Makkeli officiated the Al Nassr match with Al Ain. Slovak referee Ivan Krozliak also refereed the matches between Al Ain and Baniyas, and Al Ain and Kalba.

According to statistics, the foreign whistle appeared only once for Norwegian referee Espen Eskus (Al-Wahda with Shabab Al-Ahly), Uzbek referee Ilgis Tantashev (Shabab Al-Ahly with Bani Yas), Salvadoran Ivan Barton (Al-Ain with Khor Fakkan), Singaporean Muhammad Taqi (Al-Nasr with Shabab Al-Ahly), Jordanian Adham Makhamma (Al-Wasl with Al-Nasr), and Uruguayan Andres Matonte (Al-Wasl with Ajman), the Spanish Jesús Gil Manzano (Al-Ain with Al-Jazira), the Romanian Istvan Kovac (Al-Ain with Al-Sharjah), the Bosnian Irfan Bellito (Al-Dhafra with Al-Ain), the Belgian Eric Lambert-Schilts (Al-Jazeera with Al-Sharjah), the Chilean Christian Garay (Al-Wahda with Al-Ain), the Venezuelan Jesus Valenzuela (Shabab Al-Ahly with Al-Jazira), and the Guatemalan Mario Escobar (Al-Ain with Shabab Al-Ahly). Australian Shaun Evans (Al-Wasl with Shabab Al-Ahly), and Slovenian Slavko Vincic (Al-Jazeera with Al-Nasr).

The foreign whistle was attended by 25 countries: Brazil, Turkey, Norway, Uzbekistan, Slovakia, Slovenia, France, South Korea, Jordan, El Salvador, Singapore, the Netherlands, Germany, Argentina, Uruguay, Spain, Romania, Bosnia, Russia, Mexico, Australia, Belgium, Guatemala, and Venezuela. And Chile, which reflects the diversity of international refereeing experiences in the league.

It was noted that the foreign whistle is the most present in the matches in which Al Ain is a party, as the club decided to use foreign arbitration in all its league matches this season, starting from the second round until the 22nd round, which brought it together with Shabab Al Ahly, and was officiated by referee Mario Escobar from Guatemala.

---

Al Hammadi: Arab governance is closer to the local environment, which raises fears of controversy and pressure

The international lecturer at the UAE Football Association and technical analyst, Omar Al Hammadi, confirmed that the emergence of European, Latin and Asian arbitration in the UAE League this season was not just a coincidence, but rather the result of overlapping factors.

He told Emirates Today: “The clubs are the ones that request foreign referees, and bear the financial cost of about 170 thousand dirhams per match, and therefore they choose names that have confidence and marketing ability, in addition to competence.”

He added: “Arbitration in Europe and Latin America has a strong reputation and experience in major tournaments, such as the Champions League, Copa Libertadores, and the World Cup, which gives the clubs a feeling of neutrality and reduces public pressure.”

He pointed out that the use of referees from Europe, Latin America and Asia in sensitive matches came after local arbitration crises, which prompted some clubs to demand the foreign whistle. Regarding the absence of Arab refereeing, with the exception of Jordanian referee Adham Makhamdi, Al-Hammadi said: “Despite the presence of Arab referees nominated for the 2026 World Cup, confidence is built on mental image and not just competence, as Arab refereeing is seen as closer to the local environment, which raises fears of controversy and pressure, unlike distant European refereeing, so the presence of Arab refereeing remains an exceptional case.”

Regarding the complete absence of African arbitration, Al-Hammadi stressed that this is remarkable, but it is mostly due to the weak marketing of African arbitration compared to Europe and Latin America, in addition to the controversy that accompanies it in some continental championships.

. Al Ain is the club that uses the most foreign whistle. It was present in all its matches this season.

---