Chinese state media outlets praised Ma’s “composed performance” officiating a match between Curacao and Ecuador - calling it a “historic moment for Chinese football”.
Curacao's Jurien Gaari (left) is shown a yellow card by referee Ma Ning (right) during the match between Ecuador and Curacao at Kansas City Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, US on Jun 20, 2026. (Photo: Imagn Images via Reuters/William Purnell)
22 Jun 2026 04:18PM
(Updated: 22 Jun 2026 04:28PM)
BEIJING: China may have failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup but fans back home are still rallying hard around their representative on the world stage - 47-year-old Chinese referee Ma Ning.Ma made his appearance on Saturday (Jun 20) - officiating a match between Curacao and Ecuador at Kansas City Stadium which ended in a 0-0 draw.Chinese media outlets raved about Ma’s performance as head referee, calling it a “historic moment for Chinese football”.“Ma delivered a solid performance,” read a report by the state-run China Daily newspaper on Monday, noting that he issued a yellow card to Ecuador and five to Curacao.
