KUALA LUMPUR — Former Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Tan Sri Hamidin Mohd Amin has been entrusted with a senior operational appointment for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, where he will oversee official duties across two major host cities in the United States — Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Hamidin, who currently serves as a FIFA council member, has been appointed Head of Delegation and Envoy President for both cities, placing him in charge of coordination and operational responsibilities throughout the tournament.
The tournament, which is set to kick off on June 11, will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, marking the first time the World Cup will be staged across three countries and expanded to 48 teams.
Matches will be played across 16 host venues, with fixtures spread across North America over several weeks.
Hamidin said his role will see him based primarily in Los Angeles during the most crucial phases of the competition, including the group stage and knockout rounds, before moving between assigned venues as required.
“I have been appointed as Head of Delegation and Envoy President responsible for Los Angeles and San Francisco. My duties cover those venues throughout the tournament,” he told Scoop when met at the Hilton Petaling Jaya yesterday.
“I will be based primarily in Los Angeles through the group stage, quarter-finals and semi-finals before moving as required. I leave tomorrow to begin those responsibilities.”
Hamidin said the appointment represents a significant step up in responsibility compared to previous tournaments, particularly as he now sits on the FIFA council.
“Previous tournaments did not involve responsibilities of this scale,” he said when asked if this was the first time a Malaysian had been involved at such a senior level at a World Cup.
“For the Qatar World Cup, I was not yet a FIFA council member. This is different because I now serve on the council, and that naturally comes with a wider scope of responsibility and a higher level of trust placed upon me in overseeing operational duties.”
He stressed that the role requires strict professionalism given the global scale and scrutiny of the tournament.
“This is a very big responsibility, and we must discharge our duties properly and professionally. That is our responsibility,” he said.
“When you are entrusted with such a role at a World Cup, you are not only representing yourself, but also FIFA and the standards expected in world football governance.”
The FAM honorary president also described the appointment as part of wider preparations for what is expected to be the largest and most logistically complex World Cup in history.
The expanded 48-team format will see more matches than any previous edition, with North American cities including Los Angeles and San Francisco set to host high-profile fixtures during the knockout stages, adding further significance to Hamidin’s operational responsibilities.
His appointment also places him among a select group of senior football administrators tasked with overseeing multi-venue coordination across one of the most ambitious editions of the tournament to date. – June 8, 2026