World Cup 2026: Abongile Tom aims to make refereeing 'fashionable' on global stage

South African referee Abongile Tom, originally from Nyanga, Cape Town, quit his job as a police officer to focus on officiating. He will officiate in his first FIFA World Cup in North America alongside countryman assistant Zakhele Siwela. Tom aims to modernize refereeing and make it 'fashionable' to inspire the next generation of match officials. Despite criticism for bias in the PSL, he is admired for visiting a young fan at his school.