Chinese state media outlets praised Ma’s “composed performance” officiating a match between Curacao and Ecuador - calling it a “historic moment for Chinese football”. BEIJING: China may have failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup but fans back home are still rallying hard around their representative on the world stage - 47-year-old Chinese referee Ma Ning . Ma made his appearance on Saturday (Jun 20) - officiating a match between Curacao and Ecuador at Kansas City Stadium which ended in a 0-0