Chinese media outlets have raised concerns about the assignment of Uzbek referee Rustam Lutfullin to officiate the crucial World Cup qualifier between China and Indonesia, as his matches with Southeast Asian sides have always ended in their favor.
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Uzbek referee Rustam Lutfullin. Photo by AFC |
Lutfullin, along with assistant referees Sanjar Shayusupov and Alisher Usmanov, and VAR official Firdavs Norsafarov, will form an all-Uzbek officiating team for the showdown between Indonesia and China. The match is scheduled to take place at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on Thursday night.
Chinese news site 163.com called Lutfullin a “lucky star” for Indonesia, pointing out that he officiated three previous matches involving the team, all of which Indonesia won, scoring nine goals and conceding just one.
“This referee assignment could put China at a disadvantage,” the site noted.
Although Lutfullin, 34, has a decade of domestic officiating experience, he has only begun refereeing international fixtures since 2021. He has not overseen any matches involving China national team. However, he did officiate a match featuring China Olympic squad, in which they edged Qatar 1-0 in the round of 16 at the 2022 Asian Games. In that match, Lutfullin issued a red card to Chinese defender Jiang Shenglong in stoppage time, drawing criticism from some Chinese fans and media.
Sohu acknowledged that Lutfullin garnered attention in China following the red card incident, but stressed that his upcoming match would be a fresh challenge and an opportunity for him.
Lutfullin’s most recent Indonesia match was a 2-0 win against Saudi Arabia at Bung Karno Stadium in November 2024. Prior to that, he refereed a fixture of U20 Indonesia and another national team match, both ending in Indonesian victories.
The stakes are high for China in this penultimate round of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. The team must win to keep hopes alive. A draw would nearly end their campaign, while a loss would eliminate them right away.
Group C standings remain tight behind leaders Japan, who have already qualified with 20 points. Australia are close behind with 13 points and could secure qualification with a win over Japan. Saudi Arabia (10 points) and Indonesia (9 points) remain in contention for a spot in the fourth qualifying round, while China and Bahrain, both on 6 points, face an uphill battle to stay in the race.