World Cup referee to officiate National Cup final | Tuổi Trẻ | VN

The highly anticipated 2025-2026 National Cup final between Ninh Binh and Cong An TP.HCM will be officiated by a pair of experienced Singaporean referees. Muhammad Taqi Aljaafari Bin Jahari will serve as the main referee, with Ahmad A'Qashah Bin Ahmad Al Badowe overseeing VAR.

Muhammad Taqi brings a wealth of experience to the match, having officiated at prestigious tournaments such as the AFC Asian Cup and the FIFA U17 and U20 World Cups. His expertise was also utilized at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he served as a VAR official.

Both Taqi and Al Badowe recently demonstrated their effective collaboration during a playoff match for the 2025-2026 season between PVF-CAND and Bac Ninh. In that game, Taqi acted as the VAR referee while Al Badowe was the main referee. Their coordination led to a penalty decision in the first half, and the match concluded in a 1-1 draw, with Bac Ninh winning the subsequent penalty shootout. Notably, neither team lodged any complaints regarding the refereeing, suggesting a high level of trust in their abilities.

The final is expected to be a tense and exciting affair, drawing significant attention from fans and experts alike. The VPF (Professional Football Joint Stock Company) announced the appointments on June 13, with the match scheduled for 6 p.m. on June 14 at Ninh Binh Arena.