Chinese Referee Ma Ning Becomes Unexpected Fan Favourite at World Cup

Posted : 09 June 2026

As China's national team once again misses out on the World Cup, many football fans in the country have found an unlikely figure to support during the tournament: referee Ma Ning.

The 46-year-old official has become a social media sensation after sharing images of his journey to the World Cup in North America. His posts have attracted widespread attention from Chinese football supporters eager to have a national presence at the global event, even if it is not on the pitch.

Interest in Ma has surged online in recent weeks. A hashtag related to his trip to the tournament has generated millions of views on Chinese social media platform Weibo, while his account on the RedNote app has seen a rapid increase in followers since he began posting content from his World Cup preparations.

The referee's growing popularity has also attracted commercial interest, leading to partnerships with major Chinese brands, including technology and dairy companies that have featured him in promotional campaigns.

Ma's online content has resonated with fans thanks to his playful approach. In one post, he referenced his profession by pulling a small red booklet from his referee shirt pocket, while another showed him preparing to depart from a Chinese airport en route to the World Cup.

Supporters have embraced the humour surrounding his reputation as "Card Master," a nickname earned after he issued nine yellow cards and three red cards during a heated Shanghai derby in 2015. Many fans jokingly suggested that his luggage was packed with nothing but yellow and red cards.

Others have light-heartedly portrayed Ma as China's representative on the world stage, especially given the country's continued struggles to qualify for major international tournaments. Some social media users even joked that the entire nation was backing him, since there was no Chinese team competing in the event.

Ma is the only Chinese referee selected for the World Cup and is making his second appearance at the tournament. He previously served as a fourth official during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Joining him in North America are assistant referee Zhou Fei and video assistant referee official Fu Ming, ensuring Chinese officials will still have a presence at football's biggest competition despite the absence of the national team.

Chinese Referee Ma Ning Becomes Unexpected Fan Favourite at World Cup

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