When your country hasn’t qualified for the World Cup in 24 years, you find other ways to participate. For millions of Chinese football fans, that means rallying behind the one person who will actually be on the pitch representing their nation: referee Ma Ning.
Ma is the sole Chinese match official selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which runs from June 12 to July 20. His selection has triggered something between a national pride campaign and a full-blown internet meme movement, with hashtags related to his involvement racking up over 3.6 million views on Weibo.
The Card Master goes viral
Ma Ning is not your typical internet celebrity. Born on June 14, 1979, the 46-year-old has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2011. He’s earned the nickname “Card Master” among Chinese fans for his no-nonsense officiating style.
Ma Ning’s account on RedNote, China’s popular social platform, gained over 195,000 followers in less than two weeks after news of his World Cup selection broke. Domestic brands have noticed the surge and started lining up endorsement opportunities. In a country where the men’s national team last appeared at a World Cup in 2002, corporate sponsors are apparently happy to back the next best thing: the guy with the whistle.
