Fu Ming: Now we need to begin a new cycle of accumulation, and we hope to share our experience with our colleagues in China.

On August 1, the Beijing Daily published an interview with referee Fu Ming, who participated in the World Cup.

An email erases four years of regret

"On the evening I received the confirmation email for being selected for the World Cup, I checked the list over and over again. The emotions that had been suppressed for eight years suddenly surged into my heart. Actually, a week before receiving the email, I roughly knew that the list had been finalized, and I started waiting. At that time, I was actually a little anxious." Fu Ming was still a little moved when talking about the moment his dream came true, because the road to the World Cup had not been smooth before.

During the 2022 Qatar World Cup referee selection cycle, Fu Ming made it through the rounds, but unfortunately failed to be selected at the last minute. He said, "After four years of striving for the World Cup, I finally received the news of being left out, which was of course very regrettable. The notification email said, 'Thank you for your hard work and efforts over the past four years...' Even now, thinking about it still makes me feel very regretful."

Missing the final goal didn't break Fu Ming; instead, it forced him to recalibrate his professional standards. After the 2022 World Cup, FIFA immediately began the selection process for candidate referees for the 2026 World Cup. After the 2023 Asian Cup, Fu Ming was officially shortlisted for the USA-Canadian-Mexico World Cup referee evaluation, beginning a new and lengthy evaluation period.

The years-long observation and evaluation process was fraught with uncertainty. Fu Ming explained that FIFA doesn't disclose the identities of its evaluators beforehand; every domestic and international match he officiated, every referee training session, was an invisible test. "I didn't know who was evaluating me, which forced me to constantly hold myself to FIFA's highest standards. If I had to summarize my refereeing work in one word, it would be 'standard.' I always held myself to FIFA's highest standards. Since joining the AFC's elite referee program, I've received access to high-quality training resources from various parties and learned what the highest standards of officiating look like. You could say that without reaching the top standards, you certainly wouldn't be qualified to stand on the World Cup stage."

Over the years, he, along with Ma Ning, Zhou Fei, and others, formed the Chinese referee team, working together to prepare for two World Cups, honing their skills for a full eight years. Eight years of perseverance have finally turned past regrets into fulfillment.

Back to square one, aiming for the next World Cup

FIFA's Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team at the USA-Canadian Cup featured three VAR officials per match, and Fu Ming fully fulfilled his roles as Video Assistant Referee (VAR), Assistant Video Assistant Referee (AVAR), and Support Video Assistant Referee (SVAR). His experience officiating six group stage matches and one Round of 32 match set a new record for East Asian referees.

After intensive training before the World Cup, all video match officials moved from Miami to Dallas, working at the Dallas International Broadcast Center, which was Fu Ming's main battleground throughout the World Cup. He explained to reporters the working logic of the three-person video match official (VMO) team: there are 45 broadcast cameras per match in the group stage and 50 in the knockout stage, plus semi-automatic offside footage, etc. A massive amount of footage needs to be sifted, evidence collected, and the basis for judgments provided in a very short time.

In the Ecuador vs. Curaçao match, Ma Ning served as the referee, Zhou Fei as the assistant referee, and Fu Ming oversaw the VAR, creating a classic moment for Chinese fans of the USA-Canadian World Cup. In the Colombia vs. Ghana Round of 32 final, Fu Ming served as SVAR, becoming the first Chinese video referee to officiate a World Cup knockout match. In the enclosed studio, without spotlights or cheering crowds, only screens, headset conversations, and constantly moving cameras, Fu Ming thoroughly enjoyed this focused experience: "The high level of concentration throughout the entire World Cup, and the smooth and efficient teamwork, are my most profound impressions of this World Cup."

After officiating seven World Cup matches, Fu Ming received a flood of praise, but he remained clear-headed. In an interview, he repeatedly emphasized that looking back on the entire World Cup journey, what impressed him most were the areas where he could have done better. "During the World Cup, I didn't think about words like pride or honor; all my attention was on my work. Now that all the matches are over, I need to calm down and reflect."

In his view, the World Cup is not just a testing ground for referees, but also a platform for top referees from around the world to exchange ideas and learn from each other. Elite video referees from all continents gathered in Dallas for daily training, case studies, and resource sharing, which allowed more people to understand the working capabilities of Chinese referees. Through this World Cup, he gained a new and clear understanding of the working conditions, judging standards, and team collaboration logic of top-level referees.

Will we aim for the next World Cup? Fu Ming said, "Our goals can't just remain words; we must return to the field, analyze each match one by one, and refine each detail one by one. The most important thing now is to return to the essence and begin a new four-year cycle of accumulation."

Using experience to benefit Chinese football

After returning home from the World Cup, Fu Ming didn't stop there. He summarized his World Cup officiating experience and will return to the domestic league. He said, "The three of us Chinese referees standing on the World Cup stage is not the end. I hope to share my experience accumulated over the years with my domestic colleagues, bring this resource and vision back to China, and hope that Chinese referees will continue to appear on the World Cup stage in the future."

As a teacher at Capital University of Physical Education and Sports and an international referee registered with the Beijing Football Association, Fu Ming said, "My ability to stand on the World Cup stage is inseparable from the support of the Chinese Football Association, the Beijing Football Association, and Capital University of Physical Education and Sports. Without their help, my dream could not have been realized, and I think this World Cup also belongs to them."

When asked about the help he could give to young referees, Fu Ming said, "I still hope to start with myself and turn what I want to say into what I do. I will make the requirements for young referees the requirements for myself and lead by example. I will not only tell them how to do it, but also let them see how I do it. This is my inescapable responsibility for the next step."