![\"FIFA](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/002.png\")
<\/p>\nSummary<\/p>\n
China’s national soccer team failed to qualify for the World Cup again, leaving fans to rally behind referee Ma Ning.
\n The 46-year-old, known as ‘Card Master’ back home, has secured major sponsorships and gained over 210,000 social media followers.
\n Ma is the only Chinese referee at the tournament as China pursues its long-stalled dream of soccer dominance.<\/p>\n
\n AI-generated summary was reviewed by a CNN editor.<\/p>\n
\n World Cup team send-offs are usually a grand event. Rigorously selected players dressed in dapper suits, waving at fans before they board a plane to represent their countries at one of the biggest sporting events held every four years.\n <\/p>\n
\n But not for China this year.\n <\/p>\n
\n The country\u2019s team again failed to qualify for the tournament, prompting its soccer fans to turn to another national representative: Ma Ning, a referee known for a stern, uncompromising officiating style that has earned him the nickname \u201cCard Master.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n The 46-year-old has not always been a beloved figure at home and, at times, his calls have been divisive. In his decade-long career, he\u2019s often been heckled and cursed at by spectators during domestic matches.\n <\/p>\n
\n In 2015, he earned his moniker when he issued nine yellow cards and three reds during an intense Shanghai derby game \u2013 sparking social media virality.\n <\/p>\n
\n In recent weeks, Chinese social media has now rallied around the formerly divisive star \u2013 the only Chinese referee at the tournament \u2013 as a source of national pride, with hashtags related to him generating millions of views on across social media platforms.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cOther countries watch their own teams play matches, we watch our own referee hand out cards,\u201d one user of the Chinese social media platform RedNote wrote.\n <\/p>\n
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\n Ma has also secured sponsorships for his World Cup appearance from some of the biggest Chinese brands, including technology firm Lenovo and electronics giant Hisense.\n <\/p>\n
\n Since starting his RedNote account last month, Ma has garnered more than 210,000 followers. One of his first posts was a photo of himself outside an airport before departing for the tournament, which kicked off Thursday with games across Mexico, Canada and the US, with the caption, \u201cLet\u2019s go!\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n One user on Weibo, another popular social media platform, responded in jest, \u201cHis luggage is probably all filled with yellow and red cards.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cYou don\u2019t need a boarding card, just show them a red one,\u201d another RedNote user wrote.\n <\/p>\n
\n Some say they are looking forward to tuning into Ma\u2019s matches, despite the 12 to 16 hours\u2019 time difference.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cI only know famous players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, and Mbapp\u00e9,\u201d said Debbie Wang, who admits she doesn\u2019t follow the sport, but told CNN she will follow Ma\u2019s matches. \u201cI am extremely curious about how many cards Ma Ning will issue.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201c(Ma) is our only one going to the World Cup, I think we will support him,\u201d Ted Cui, a soccer fan from Beijing, also told CNN.\n <\/p>\n
\n Cui, who has watched plenty of games refereed by Ma, called the controversial figure undoubtedly \u201cone of the best referees in China and even in all of Asia.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n In addition to refereeing at the highest level of professional soccer in China, the Chinese Super League, Ma frequently referees international games, including for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League.\n <\/p>\n
\n Ma has been a FIFA-certified referee since 2011 and made his World Cup debut in Qatar four years ago, when he served as a fourth official for multiple matches.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cDuring the World Cup, we will earnestly learn from the world\u2019s most outstanding referees, and bring valuable experience back to China to contribute strength to the training and development of Chinese referees,\u201d Ma told Chinese state media<\/a> before departing for the Americas.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cWe will also go all out to showcase the style and demeanor of Chinese referees on the World Cup stage.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n Ma is joined at the tournament this year by two other Chinese officials, including assistant referee Zhou Fei and video assistant referee Fu Ming.\n <\/p>\n \n China has not qualified for the World Cup since 2002, its only appearance at the tournament, which ended in the group stage after being eliminated without scoring any goals.\n <\/p>\n![\"Referee](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/gettyimages-2028277360.jpg\")
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