With China’s national football team once again absent from the World Cup, many Chinese fans have shifted their focus to referee Ma Ning, who will represent the country at the tournament, the BBC reported.
Ma, 46, has become a popular figure on Chinese social media, where discussions about his World Cup involvement have attracted millions of views. Known for his strict officiating style and frequent use of yellow and red cards, he earned the nickname «card master.»
The upcoming tournament marks Ma’s second World Cup appearance. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, he served as a fourth official, assisting referees from the sidelines.
Alongside assistant referee Zhou Fei and video assistant referee Fu Ming, Ma is currently attending a 10-day officials’ camp in Miami ahead of the competition.
A FIFA-certified referee since 2011, Ma also teaches at the Nanjing Sport Institute. Recently, he launched an account on the Chinese social media platform RedNote, where he has quickly gained nearly 200,000 followers.
