Jordanian FIFA referee Adham Makhadmeh is proud to be blowing the whistle at the 2026 World Cup. The path to this achievement began in the courtyard of a mosque in the northern Jordanian city of Ramtha.
His sister, Dr. Nahida Makhadmeh, told Al Jazeera in an interview that Adham prayed at the mosque, recited the call to prayer, and led the congregation as a young imam during his primary school years. Makhadmeh, who memorized a large part of the Quran, laid the foundation for the composure and anger control he would need in his refereeing career through this religious education.
Following his sister's footsteps into refereeing
Adham Makhadmeh's introduction to refereeing came thanks to his sister Nahida, Jordan's first female football referee. In 2002, Nahida took her brother along to the refereeing course she attended. She noted that Adham closely followed the lessons and training sessions, saying, "Adham was always by my side, and that's how he began to develop a real passion for refereeing."
Talent is discovered
During this period, Adham's tall stature and neat appearance caught the attention of Jordanian referee instructor Omar Bishtawi. Nahida said, "Bishtawi saw that he could become a successful referee, and that’s where his love for refereeing truly began." Adham Makhadmeh attended an official refereeing course in 2004 and was certified as a referee.
Rise to the international stage
Having officiated local and continental matches, Makhadmeh earned the FIFA badge in 2013. Nahida said, "Thank God, he became an international referee in 2013 and today he has reached one of his biggest dreams, the World Cup." She stressed that this success was the result of years of daily work, continuous improvement, and discipline.
The sacrifice of his Bosnian mother
Nahida highlighted the role of their mother in her brother's success. Born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, their mother lost her father, a mosque imam in Sarajevo, to a mortar shell during the 1992 Bosnian War. After coming to Jordan, the mother raised her eight children with the values of patience, faith, and hard work.
Nahida said, "Our mother taught us that success comes only through knowledge, hard work, and prayer." Adham Makhadmeh continues to visit his mother before every match, camp, or trip to kiss her hand and receive her blessing, a reflection of those values.
His father's last match
One of the family's most emotional memories dates to the final days of their father's life. Adham was officiating a match in India while his father was receiving treatment in hospital. The family brought a computer to the hospital room so their father could watch the match. Nahida said, "My father experienced indescribable happiness watching Adham. That match was the last time our father saw his son officiate."
"The Arab Collina"
In the sports community, Adham Makhadmeh is known as "the Arab Collina" due to his physical resemblance to the legendary Italian referee Pierluigi Collina. Carrying that comparison throughout his career, Makhadmeh has reached the 2026 World Cup and written his name among the world's best referees.
A father of three boys and a girl, Makhadmeh's wife also played a significant role in his success. Nahida said that throughout years of travel, his wife took on the responsibility of the home and children, providing him with stability.
