Muhammad Taqi (referee)

Taqi's road to the pinnacle of football refereeing began when he accompanied his friends who had fathers and uncles as a match officials where it prompt him to take his first refereeing course at 15-year-old at the old National Stadium.

Taqi underwent a football trials with Clementi Khalsa back in the days but things didn't quite work out for him being an actual footballer so he quickly developed a curiosity and understanding for the Laws of the Game, and was actively involved as a Class 3 referee after he completed his O-levels. When he was 19, he was promoted to a Class 2 referee to officiate in the Prime League matches, before stepping up as a Class 1 referee the same year to be involved in S.League (now known as Singapore Premier League) matches.

Taqi started his referee career in 2006 where on 27 April 2006, he officiate his first match in the 2006 S.League contested between Geylang United and Balestier Khalsa.Taqi became a FIFA-listed referee in 2012.[3]

In February 2014, Taqi had a double in his career where he refereed the 2014 Singapore Charity Shield and the 2014 Singapore Cup Final. In the opening ceremony at the new Singapore National Stadium, Taqi refereed the first match on 16 August 2014 between Italian giants, Juventus and Singapore Selection which saw Juventus winning the match 5–0. In the same year, he was also awarded with S.League Referee of the Year itself.

In 2015, Taqi was sent to Australia for being one of the support referees for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup in January with his assistant, Jeffrey Goh. In July 2015, he refereed in the 2015 Premier League Asia Trophy between Stoke City and Singapore Selection where Stoke City won 2–0.

In May 2017, Taqi was a video assistant referee (VAR) for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup In South Korea.[3] On 25 July 2017, he officiated the 2017 International Champions Cup match in Singapore between English champions Chelsea and German champions Bayern Munich. Bayern won the match 3–2. In October 2017,

Taqi was sent to India to officiate 2 group stage matches in the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup. On 26 November 2017, Taqi officiated the 2017 Singapore Cup Final between Albirex Niigata (S) and Global Cebu. Taqi was named 2017 AFF Referee Of The Year.[4]

On 30 July 2018, Taqi officiated the 2018 International Champions Cup match between Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid at the Singapore National Stadium in which PSG won the match 3–2.

In January 2019, Taqi was selected by AFC for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup held in the UAE to officiate some matches. He was sent to Poland to officiate some matches for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup in May 2019. On 7 August 2019, Taqi officiated in the 2019 J.League Cup / Copa Sudamericana Championship between Shonan Bellmare and Athletico Paranaense. During the Brazil Global Tour in Singapore. Taqi officiate the match between Brazil and Senegal on 10 October 2019.

In 2021, Taqi was Singapore's first FIFA video assistant referee (VAR) and officiated at the 2020 Summer Olympics held at Japan being the assistant VAR in the men's football final between Brazil and Spain

.[3][5]

On 15 July 2022, Taqi officiated the match between both English Premier League clubs, Liverpool and Crystal Palace at the Singapore National Stadium.

Taqi was also selected to officiate as a VAR for the 2022 FIFA World Cup[3] and the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, making him the first Singaporean to officiate at both the men's and women's World Cup tournaments.[6]

On 14 September 2023, the AFC announced that Taqi and 32 other referees to the be the main referee in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.

Taqi is married and has two sons and a daughter.[3]

Taqi is also a degree holder of Bachelor of Science (BSc) studying at the University of London in 2009.

• S. League Referee Of The Year, 2014[8]
• AFF Referee Of The Year, 2017[4]