FIFA refereeing team pays homage to Miami with pink uniform during Uruguay x Saudi Arabia game
The refereeing team led by Italian Maurizio Mariani, selected for the clash between Uruguay and Saudi Arabia next Monday, will pay a special tribute to the city of Miami. Judges will enter the field wearing flamingo pink shirts, a color that celebrates local culture and landscape.
Inspiration and References Behind Choosing the Pink Uniform
The decision, as communicated by the International Football Federation (Fifa), is based on iconic elements of Miami, reinforcing the entity’s strategy of immersion in the local cultures of the host cities. FIFA points to the abundant population of flamingos in the region, the sunsets that paint the sky in pink tones and the striking architecture of the Art Deco style buildings, present on the famous Ocean Drive, in South Beach, as direct inspirations.
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Arbitration Training and Logistics Base for the World Cup
The use of pink is not just restricted to gaming. The color was also chosen for the training uniforms of FIFA referees, who are using Miami as their operational base for the 2026 World Cup. Only the video assistants (VAR) are located elsewhere, based in the city of Dallas, Texas.
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FIFA’s Gratitude to the Arbitration Host City
Pierluigi Collina, who serves as FIFA’s head of refereeing, expressed the motivation behind the choice of uniform. “Miami is our base, so we thought it would be a beautiful way to show our gratitude to the city where we will stay for around two months,” said the director in an official statement.