The "Controversial" choice: Bulgaria’s Kabakov to lead Spain-Egypt officiating team

Africa 29 March 2026 at 17:42

Khaled Hegazy

News Editor

The Egyptian Football Association has confirmed that Bulgarian referee Georgi Kabakov will officiate the international friendly between Egypt & Spain scheduled for Tuesday at the RCDE Stadium in Cornellà-El Prat, Barcelona.

The match forms part of both teams’ preparations for FIFA World Cup 2026 set to take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Bulgarian officiating team appointed

The EFA announced that a full Bulgarian refereeing crew will handle the encounter. Georgi Kabakov will serve as the main referee, assisted by Martin Margaritov as first assistant and Martin Venev as second assistant.

The appointment brings experienced but somewhat controversial figure into the spotlight ahead of a high-profile friendly between two competitive national team.

Kabakov’s experience on the European stage

Kabakov began his refereeing career in 2013 and has steadily built a presence in European competitions. He officiated his first UEFA Champions League match in 2018 and has since handled several matches at club and international levels.

One of his notable assignments came in 2019 when he took charge of the UEFA European U21 Championship semi-final between Spain and France.

Spain won that match 4-1 under current national team coach Luis de la Fuente adding interesting connection ahead of this upcoming fixture.

Recent controversy & suspension

Despite his experience, Kabakov’s record has not been without criticism. In October 2025, the Bulgarian Football Union suspended him indefinitely following unsatisfactory evaluations related to his use of VAR in domestic league matches.

The decision stemmed from his role as a VAR official during a match between Slavia Sofia & Lokomotiv Sofia which ended in a 2-0 victory for Slavia.

The refereeing committee described the performance of Kabakov and fellow official Vladimir Valkov as “unsatisfactory,” particularly after a controversial incident involving a clear handball by player Martin Georgiev that went unpunished.

Related teams and leagues

Egypt

Spain