FIFA announced a Turkish refereeing crew for Al Ahly’s clash against Al Ain in the Intercontinental Cup, which is set to be played in Cairo.
Meler, an experienced referee on FIFA’s list since 2017 and a UEFA Elite referee since 2022, will be assisted by linesmen Ibrahim Caglar Uyarcan and Kurbay Murat. Kuguk Zurbay will serve as the fourth official for the game.
VAR duties will be handled by Italian referees Marco Di Bello and Aleandro Di Paolo.
In December 2023, Meler, a referee, was physically attacked by MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca following a Super Lig match. The attack resulted in a minor facial fracture for Meler.
The incident led to Koca resigning and receiving a lifetime ban from football by the Turkish Football Federation.
Al Ahly will face Asian champions Al Ain on October 29th at the Cairo International Stadium, with 52,000 fans in attendance.
The remainder of the Intercontinental Cup will take place in Qatar from December 11th to 18th. The match’s winner will face either CONCACAF champions, Mexico’s CF Pachuca, or the yet-to-be-decided Copa Libertadores champion.