games officiated
FIFA selected from one of the shortlisted officials to lead the 2022 World Cup final. However, there are a number of restrictions which FIFA uses to ensure there can be no real or perceived bias on the part of the match official
The only official FIFA regulation regarding referee assignments states that the official "shall not come from a member association that is represented by a team playing in the group or match in question." No officials on the final 12-man list are from either Argentina or France.
FIFA has also worked around unofficial barriers to allow for as little room for perceived bias. Most notably, they often look to avoid having referees working on World Cup matches with teams from their own confederation or region. Often, this is impossible with regards to European nations due to the vast number of participants (remember, FIFA rules regarding teams from confederations at the World Cup draw apply to all continents except Europe for the same reason), but for other continents and regions, they do their best.
Daniele Orsato and Cesar Ramos being selected to officiate semifinal matches meant they were unlikely to be tipped for the final, although that is also not an official rule.
In that same vein, Jesus Valenzuela and Mohammed Abdulah Hassan were selected as fourth officials for the two semifinal matches, and were unlikely to be picked for the final.
The first man to officiate a World Cup final was Belgian official John Langenus in 1930, when Uruguay beat Argentina 2-1 at home in the first World Cup tournament.
England have had the most World Cup final officials with four, while Italy have had three. Nobody has ever officiated two men's World Cup finals.
Year | Official | Country | Match |
---|---|---|---|
2018 | Nestor Pitana | Argentina | France 4, Croatia 2 |
2014 | Nicola Rizzoli | Italy | Germany 1, Argentina 0 |
2010 | Howard Webb | England | Spain 1, Netherlands 0 |
2006 | Horacio Elizondo | Argentina | Italy 1*, France 1 |
2002 | Pierluigi Collina | Italy | Brazil 2, Germany 0 |
1998 | Said Belqola | Morocco | France 3, Brazil 0 |
1994 | Sandor Puhl | Hungary | Brazil 0*, Italy 0 |
1990 | Edgardo Mendez | Mexico | W. Germany 1, Argentina 0 |
1986 | Romualdo Arppi Filho | Brazil | Argentina 3, W. Germany 2 |
1982 | Arnaldo Cezar Coelho | Brazil | Italy 3, W. Germany 1 |
1978 | Sergio Gonella | Italy | Argentina 3, Netherlands 1 |
1974 | Jack Taylor | England | W. Germany 2, Netherlands 1 |
1970 | Rudi Glockner | E. Germany | Brazil 4, Italy 1 |
1966 | Gottfried Dienst | Switzerland | England 4, W. Germany 2 |
1962 | Nikolay Latyshev | Soviet Union | Brazil 3, Czechoslovakia 1 |
1958 | Maurice Guigue | France | Brazil 5, Sweden 2 |
1954 | William Ling | England | W. Germany 3, Hungary 2 |
1950 | George Reader | England | Uruguay 2, Brazil 1 |
1938 | Georges Capdeville | France | Italy 4, Hungary 2 |
1934 | Ivan Eklind | Sweden | Italy 2, Czechoslovakia 0 |
1930 | John Langenus | Belgium | Uruguay 4, Argentina 2 |
* Team won on penalties
Kyle Bonn is a soccer content producer for The Sporting News.
The 41-year-old will referee the showpiece event on Sunday in his second World Cup. But who is he? Discover the man who will be in charge.
Szymon Marciniak will be the man in the middle on Sunday (18 December) when Paris St-Germain club teammates Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé face each other with their national teams Argentina and France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final .
When the Polish referee steps out to lead the officiating team at Lusail Stadium, it will signify a remarkable comeback to the top of world football refereeing after serious health problems for the 41-year-old.
Who is Szymon Marciniak and what is his refereeing style? What can we expect from him on Sunday? Read on to find out.
Lionel messi vs kylian mbappe: head-to-head history, records and stats, szymon marciniak refereeing style.
Marciniak was born in January 1981, and first took up refereeing when he was sent off playing a game as a youngster.
Speaking to FIFA.com , Marciniak recalls: "We spoke after the game, and (the referee) told me a very important sentence: if you think this is easy work, go and try. You will see. I was thought: why not? So, immediately I went for the course and started refereeing."
After working his way through the ranks, Marciniak took charge of his first Polish Ekstraklasa top-division match in 2009, becoming an international referee two years later.
Now, he will take charge of arguably the biggest game in football. How will he approach handling this World Cup final?
"Both teams have such amazing players, we have to be focused from the first to the very last moment," the Pole says in a video interview with FIFA.
"The players are really very fresh – it's the middle of the season. They want to win, you see the fire in the eyes of the players. I expect a very fast game .
"So concentration, concentration, more concentration – we cannot relax for even one second."
Marciniak's team for the Argentina–France clash will include his long-time assistants Pawel Sokolnick and Tomasz Listkiewicz , while American referee Ismail Elfath will serve as the fourth official.
Another Pole, Tomasz Kwiatkowski , will be the World Cup final Video Assistant Referee.
How to watch argentina v france 2022 fifa world cup final live, schedule and time, szymon marciniak illness.
That Marciniak will take charge at Lusail Stadium on Sunday is in itself incredible considering that barely a year ago, he was only just making a return to top-level officiating.
The Pole missed a year and a half with tachycardia – an irregular fast heartbeat – and was forced to sit out the delayed UEFA 2020 European Championship, which was held from June to July 2021.
"In the beginning, it was very difficult for me and I had to stop refereeing. I missed the UEFA European Championship, which for a referee, who is at their best age, it was a terrible feeling," Marciniak says.
However, he returned to duty last season in 2021/22 and was even appointed to referee a UEFA Champions League semi-final match between Liverpool and Villarreal.
Marciniak first began officiating Polish top-flight matches in 2009 , becoming a FIFA-list international referee in 2011 .
He worked his way through the continental and international ranks, getting his first major appointment in 2015 at the Under-21 European Championship , where he refereed the final between Sweden and Portugal.
The following season, he was named referee for the Polish Cup final before working three matches at the senior UEFA 2016 European Championship .
His first FIFA World Cup was in 2018 , when he took charge of two matches, off the back of which he was named to his first European club final as he oversaw the 2018 UEFA Super Cup derby between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid.
Although he missed EURO 2020, Marciniak is now clearly back at full fitness. He has taken charge of two games so far at Qatar 2022 , having refereed both finalist teams along the way – France's 2–1 win over Denmark and Argentina's victory over Australia by the same margin.
Argentina vs france, head-to-head: arg have edge ahead of fifa world cup final vs fra.
Being appointed as the referee for the World Cup final is a huge achievement. For most officials who find themselves in this position, they'll look back on the game as the pinnacle of their career, a testament to the fact that they got to the top of their profession, just like the illustrious athletes that surround them (and typically grab all the headlines). Getting the call up doesn't just show that they've officiated well throughout the rest of that tournament; it's also a much wider reflection of their abilities as an official.
In this article, we'll be explaining how soccer referees get to the point of being chosen for a FIFA World Cup Final, arguably the most high-profile match in global football. We'll briefly explain the process of getting to the World Cup Finals as a referee and look at what World Cup referee assignments typically entail, before taking you through a list of all the refs who have plied their trade in this prestigious soccer match over the years.
The FIFA World Cup takes place every four years in a different host nation, which means that opportunities for referees to demonstrate their skills on the biggest stage are pretty rare. However, in recent years, the number of referees flown out to officiate at each World Cup has increased; for Qatar 2022, there were a total of 36 referees chosen for the competition. This was the same number of refs used at France 2018, but before then the number of referees was lower (in 2010 and 2014, 25 referees were used instead of 36).
On top of these lead officials are a number of assistants; for Qatar, 69 assistant referees and 24 video assistant referees were also appointed, creating the largest team of officials ever seen at a top global soccer tournament. But how exactly does FIFA (football's world governing body) choose which officials will make it to the final tournament?
Just like the lengthy qualification period that each national team has to go through to make it to the World Cup, the process for choosing referees is also exhaustive.
Typically it starts 2-3 years before a tournament, when national football associations and federations nominate their top referees for FIFA consideration.
To ensure balance and representation, FIFA then bases its choices on regional quotas, selecting a certain number of referees from each continent who have consistently performed well in domestic and European competitions. A shortlist will be created, before a 16-person committee (aided by medical experts) will select the final list of refs for the tournament.
The journey isn't over here, though; a number of fitness tests, technical assessments and performance reviews will continue to take place in the build-up to the tournament to ensure that every referee enters the World Cup Finals at the top of their game.
Qatar 2022 was a tournament shrouded in controversy at times, but the football itself was staggeringly good. The final between Argentina and France — which ended 3-3 before being clinched by Argentina on penalties — was labelled by many as the greatest World Cup final in history.
The man in black for that particular game was Polish referee Szymon Marciniak, the first ever Polishman to preside over a World Cup final. Over the years, officials from a total of 33 different nations have been selected to handle the World Cup final in some capacity (including assistant referees). Below, you'll find a list of every single lead ref to have been selected.
Being chosen as the referee for World Cup Finals matches at any stage of the tournament is a huge achievement, but to be selected to take charge of the deciding match of the competition is rightly seen as a huge honour by officials across the world. Below, we'll take you through a list of each World Cup final referee since the tournament was first established back in 1930.
Marciniak was the latest in a long line of distinguished officials to have presided over the most prestigious game in the whole of world football. His pedigree is undeniable; as well as reffing the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final, the UEFA Super Cup Final, and the 2023 Champions League Final, Marciniak has also been named 'The World's Best Referee' by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) for the last two years.
The 2018 World Cup was a huge disappointment for Argentina, whose hopes of victory were dashed in the quarter finals by Kylian Mbappe's rampant France side. However, the Argentines were at least represented in some capacity in the final, with well-regarded referee Nestor Pistana presiding over the game between France and Croatia, aided by his two Argentine assistant referees Hernan Maidana and Juan Pablo Belatti.
The 2014 World Cup final between Germany and Argentina — won by a single Mario Gotze goal in extra time — was refereed by Italian official Nicola Rizzoli, a Serie A stalwart who worked in the top flight of Italian football from 2002 to 2017, winning a remarkable seven consecutive Serie A Referee of the Year Awards before his retirement.
In the summer of 2010, Webb had his work cut out in one of the most dramatic — and certainly the most aggressive — World Cup finals in modern history. The South Africa final saw Spain's celebrated tiki-taka side (flooded with talents like Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets) sucked into a physical battle with the Netherlands that saw Webb hand out 14 yellow cards (which doubled the previous record of six yellow cards for this fixture, set in 1986). The fact that Dutch legend Johan Cruyff described his team's style as 'anti-football' tells you everything you need to know about this game.
World Cup referee assignments are not easy to come by, particularly in the tournament final, but Argentina have produced multiple officials capable of taking on this role. The 2006 final in Germany was presided over by Horacio Elizondo, a decorated ref who retired soon after the game, having achieved all his sporting goals.
Regarded by many as the greatest referee in the history of the game, Collina was a striking, at times fearsome figure who collected IFFHS' Referee of the Year Award on a record six consecutive occasions between 1998 and 2003. Thus, he was a shoo-in for the 2002 World Cup Final between Germany and Brazil.
The first ever African official to be selected for a World Cup Final (and the only to date), Said Belqola was a Moroccan ref who worked at multiple international tournaments before being chosen for the now-iconic 1998 Final between France and Brazil (a Zidane-inspired France ran out 3-0 winners).
Hungarian ref Sandor Phul was regularly selected for UEFA Champions League matches during the 1990s (taking charge of the 1997 UCL final between Borussia Dortmund and Juventus). But the peak of his career came in 1994, when he was selected for the World Cup final, hosted in the USA.
The 1990 World Cup in Italy has a special place in the hearts of many English fans, who were inspired by the performances of Paul Gasgoine and co.; but it was West Germany and Argentina who reached the final and experienced the disciplinary skills of Mexican ref Edgardo Codesal Mendez.
The Brazilian ref only took charge of three matches at the 1986 World Cup, but one of them was the World Cup final between Argentina and West Germany, which saw Diego Maradona lead his side to victory.
Another Brazilian official was in the thick of it for the 1982 WC final between Italy and West Germany. Arnaldo Cezar Coelho made history this year, becoming the first non-European to referee a World Cup final.
The first Italian referee to take charge of a World Cup final (in 1978), Gonella is one of only two people to have ruled over the final of both the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship.
In 1974, the famous Netherlands side led by Johan Cruyff and his 'Total Football' philosophy were beaten dramatically in the World Cup final by West Germany. The man in charge of the match was Jack Taylor, regarded by many as the greatest English referee of all time.
German ref Rudi Glöckner took charge of the 1970 World Cup final, where Brazil legend Pele made history by winning his third World Cup as a player, triumphing over Italy on the day.
1966 is the year England won their only ever major trophy to date, a continuing source of anguish in football's country of origin. The referee in charge of that famous final against West Germany was Swiss official Gottfried Dienst.
Hailing from the Soveit Union, Nikolay Latyshev took charge of the 1962 WC Final between Brazil and Czechoslovakia.
The final of the 1958 World Cup in Sweden (known as the tournament where Pele burst onto the scene) was ruled over by Frenchman Maurice Guigue.
The first Englishman to referee a World Cup final, Ling officiated the 1954 final, which saw the famed Hungary side of Ferenc Puskas beaten controversially by West Germany.
Capdeville was a Frenchman who refereed the 1938 final between Italy and Hungary. The match took place in Paris, making him the only person to referee a WC Final in his home country.
Aged just 28, Swedish ref Ivan Eklind took charge of the 1934 final between Italy and Czechoslovakia in Rome — he remains the youngest ever World Cup final referee.
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World cup semifinal ref assignments confirmed — every team feels cheated and wronged.
After a controversial and emotionally charged quarterfinal round (who could've predicted that?), the 2022 FIFA World Cup semifinal referees have been announced before Tuesday and Wednesday's matches of Argentina vs. Croatia and France vs. Morocco, respectively.
On Tuesday, the Argentina vs Croatia ref is Italian Daniele Orsato. You know he's legit because he took charge of Qatar's opener and Ecuador won it 2-0. He was also in charge of Argentina's victory over Mexico.
He famously took charge of the 2020 Champions League Final when Bayern Munich beat PSG.
pic.twitter.com/c0qmkF3YCd — FIFA Media (@fifamedia) December 11, 2022
On Wednesday, the France vs Morocco ref is Mexican César Ramos. This is the 38-year-old's fourth match in Qatar. He took charge of a scoreless draw between Denmark and Tunisia, Morocco's upset of Belgium and Portugal's 6-1 thrashing of Switzerland in the last-16.
pic.twitter.com/w2MKBTmwI4 — FIFA Media (@fifamedia) December 12, 2022
On Monday, FIFA made some decisions with regards to who will referee the World Cup final.
The most-talked about game of the quarters was undoubtedly the "Battle of Lusail" between Argentina and the Netherlands. Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz whistled 48 fouls, dished out 14 yellow cards and a red in one of the greatest World Cup matches ever. It was so feisty that Lahoz wasn't handed any further games so he's going home.
But Brazilian Wilton Sampaio, who took charge of France vs. England, could potentially play a role in the final after FIFA told him to stick around. The English were heavily critical of Sampaio after the match with both Harry Maguire and Jude Bellingham calling him out, but maybe Sampaio will offer a sympathetic eye to Les Bleus tactic of fouling-on-sight in their own area in the final.
Argentine referee Facundo Tello, at the center of Morocco's upset of Portugal, is also going home. Tello was accused of knocking Portugal out of the tournament by both Bruno Fernandes and Pepe, who said FIFA's handing Argentina the Cup because Tello was obviously weakening the other side of the bracket by disrupting Portugal's second-half rhythm. That's one way to accept defeat.
English referee Michael Oliver is also out after his performance during Croatia's upset of Brazil. The Canarinho didn't complain much because they knew it wasn't Oliver's responsibility to track runners in the 117th minute.
His compatriot Anthony Taylor, who took charge of two group stage matches, is still in contention for the final.
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Making the Cut
Importance of Fitness
What is a fifa referee.
While referees at all competition levels (local, national, international) are associated with FIFA, only those that have achieved the highest qualification level can officiate in international FIFA matches. All referees affiliated with FIFA have a designated grade and must advance in grade in order to referee higher level matches. Referees generally begin as Grade 8, except especially young candidates (younger than 15 years old), who begin as Grade 9. Only Grade 1 referees can serve as the head referee on formal international matches and Grade 2 referees as the linesman.
Referee Grades Explained [1] [2]
Must be 25 years old. Can officiate all World Cup and international matches as the head referee. | |
Must be 25 years old. Assistant referees to Grade 1 referees on international matches. | |
– Must be 23 years old. Can officiate all games except formal FIFA international matches. Grade 3 indicates a referee’s readiness to be considered for international service. | |
– Must be 23 years old. Can officiate all games through third division professional leagues; assistant referee for all games through second division professional. | |
– Must be 19 years old. All youth games and amateur games including first division and assistant referee in professional league and international cup games. | |
– Must be 18 years old. All youth games and amateur games through second division and assistant referee in the top amateur division and Amateur cup games. | |
Must be 17 years old. All youth games and mixed leagues, assistant referee in all amateur games below the top division | |
No age minimum. All youth games, assistant referee in comparable games. | |
No age minimum. Very young, “small sided” matches (usually 7 – 10 years old and six per side) |
A more in depth description of referee grades and requirements from the US Soccer Federation can be found here .
Grade 1 referees are the few that have survived the rigorous process. Of the 80,000 referees in the United States, there are only 7 head referees on the FIFA men’s list. [3] FIFA referees must be older than 25, but required to retire at 45, so it is important for referees to rise through the ranks quickly in order to have a long lasting FIFA career. [4]
Success as a referee is more than just knowing the rules of the game, and for this reason, upgrading is a well-rounded process. Referees must move up the ranks by officiating a minimum number of games, passing written and fitness tests, and earning the recommendations of assessors. A failure in any one of the requirements completely prevents a referee from advancing grades. “You can have a referee who will pass the test with 100 percent written test, pass the physical test at 99 or 100 percent and you put them in the middle of the field and they can’t find the field with their two hands and a seeing-eye dog,” says Ric Olivas, a longtime referee and member of the California State Referee Committee. [5] A referee may know all the rules, but without charisma or personality, they will be ineffective in enforcing the laws of the game.
When former FIFA assistant Thomas Bobadilla was asked what qualities make a successful referee, he responded:
Regardless of the level of officiating referees need to be good at connecting with people so they can be seen by players and coaches as a partner who will help have a safe, fair and fun game; fit to be able to keep up with play and have a good chance of influencing good behavior with presence; ability to read the game in terms of technical, physical and mental skills of the players in order to apply the appropriate level of foul recognition; and the wits to help resolve conflict before it becomes ugly to the game.” -Thomas Bobadilla, former FIFA assistant referee [6]
His full interview with US Referee Connnection can be found here .
As Bobadilla mentioned, fitness is a critical part of succeeding as a referee. Many think soccer players have it tough – they play for 90 minutes, without any timeouts, rare substitutions, and a short halftime break. They can run upwards of 7 miles a game. However, a referee’s job is even harder. They must anticipate the action of play and position themselves in order to make the right calls. Many times, this means outrunning players that can be half their age, and according to data from the US Soccer Federation, they run an average of 12 miles a game.
To prove their physical aptitude, FIFA referees must pass 2 intensive fitness tests that tests both speed and stamina. The first fitness test requires referees to run 40 meters 6 times. This must be completed in 6.2 seconds for a male referee. He is allowed 1 minute and 30 seconds between each sprint. The second test examines stamina in repeated high-intensity runs. He must run 150 meters in 30 seconds, and then must walk 50 meters in 35 seconds. This is repeated 20 times, which is equivalent to 10 laps around a track field. [7]
Unlike like most soccer players, though, referees don’t have professional trainers. They must make time outside their day jobs to stay in top physical condition. For example, Brian Hall, the last American referee to officiate in the World Cup, exercised 4 hours of day with interval training, weights, and jogging 2 years leading up to the World Cup. According to Hall:
“It’s not an easy task competing with the best players in the world.” -Brian Hall, former US FIFA referee
For many FIFA officials, refereeing is not a full-time job. Although French officials are among the best paid in Europe and can earn an average of €73,000-per-season, referees in other countries do not make this much. The table below shows a breakdown of how much officials earn per domestic league game: [8]
World Cup referees make $50,000 for the tournament, which spans over 2 months. While this is a sizable sum, this is only awarded to the 10 best FIFA referees. Not all FIFA referees are granted this type of financial reward.
Many referees hold full-time or part-time in addition to refereeing international matches. Scottish official Craig Thomson worked as a full-time solicitor and FIFA referee until he could no longer balance the two. Thomson set his sights on being selected for the World Cup and decided to become only a part-time solicitor as a result.
“I was a full-time solicitor who went part-time as I knew I couldn’t balance the law and football unless I adjusted my lifestyle. My wife and family had to put up with domestic life being disrupted because of my football schedule.” -Craig Thomson, FIFA referee and 2014 World Cup candidate
Thomson is not the only referee that has been forced to make a major decision about his career outside of soccer. Brian Hall cut back on his 8-to-7 office job as a vice president for procurement at Visa and a software director in physical preparation for the World Cup. Others, like Elias Bazakos who was named to the FIFA list of referees in 2012, sacrificed soccer. After working 1 year in the MLS, Elias took a 4-year sabbatical to finish his medical residency. He now works a neurologist in Minneapolis. [9]
FIFA’s Push for Professionalism
In August 2010, FIFA President Sepp Blatter announced that only full-time referees will be chosen for the 2014 World Cup. Blatter claims,
“We must do something for the top referees. You can’t have non-professional referees in professional football.” -Sepp Blatter, FIFA President
This change was instigated by a series of high-profile errors by World Cup referees in South Africa, where just two of the 30 selected officials listed refereeing as their full-time job. In South Africa, the two professionals (Howard Webb of England and Yuichi Nishimura of Japan) were rewarded by being selected to officiate in the World Cup final – Webb as the head referee and Nishimura as the fourth official. Webb took an extended leave of absence from his job as a policeman because the EPL helps to fund a roster of professional match officials.
However, not all agree with Blatter on this matter. Maxwell Calloway, a contributor on the Yahoo Voices network, argues that referees have a much simpler “working day” than players and are capable of holding another job. Many referees have part-time or full-time jobs and make 50 to 100 percent more at their “real jobs” than from officiating. Calloway believes that unless FIFA can compensate for this income gap as well as provide the same health benefits, pension and retirement funds, this is an unfair demand.
World Cup referees are chosen under FIFA regulation. The process lasts 3 years and is managed by the FIFA Refereeing Department and FIFA Referee Assistance Program (RAP). Referees are chosen in teams of 3, with one designated head referee and two assistant referees.
The selection process for the 2014 Brazil World Cup began with the Club World Cup in Japan when referees of the tournament were examined to see if they were ready to be candidates for 2014. Based on referee performance, the FIFA Refereeing Department created a list of the 52 most elite referee teams. However, this list will be open until 2014 – if a referee does not pass fitness tests or fails in another manner, he will no longer be considered.
Massimo Busacca is a former FIFA referee and now head of the FIFA Referee’s Department. Busacca, who refereed for 22 years and officiated at more than 100 top-level international matches, will lead the committee in charge of selecting the referees for 2014. According to Busacca, important factors to consider include testing of the game’s rules and regulations and physical and mental preparedness. Busacca’s focus for 2014 is on training:
“My priority is to create this group of elite referees, and we want to work in a professional way. We want to improve them like players are improving day-by-day through training sessions.”
Busacca sees the World Cup referees as an additional national team and himself as its coach. In an interview with Fifa.com , he explains, “We must be like a football team, must live and breathe football every day.” [10]
RAP was first introduced in 2007 and used in preparation for the 2010 World Cup to professionalize referees at both the national and international level. [11] Fifty-four referee teams went into the inaugural program and had their performances at FIFA tournaments evaluated. The program consisted of monthly fitness monitoring, psychological analyses of game demeanor, and seminars on the laws of the game. For the 30 teams selected to officiate in the World Cup, sports psychologists helped the officials to develop a personalized strategy to with the pressures. RAP instructors also maintain close contact with referees throughout the World Cup to discuss concerns.
2014 World Cup candidates met in Zurich in September 2012 for a workshop focused on their fitness, medical information, theory, and match analysis. Watch highlights from the workshop in the video below:
The following is the list of referees that was selected for the 2014 World Cup by region. Notable was the first American referee to be selected since 2002. [12]
Asia: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan), Yuichi Nishimura (Japan), Nawaf Shukralla (Bahrain), Ben Williams (Australia)
Africa: Noumandiez Doue (Ivory Coast), Bakary Gassama (Gambia), Djamel Haimoudi (Algeria)
CONCACAF: Joel Aguilar (El Salvador), Mark Geiger (United States), Marco Rodriguez Moreno (Mexico)
South America: Enrique Osses (Chile), Nestor Pitana (Argentina), Wilmar Roldan (Colombia), Sandro Ricci (Brazil), Carlos Vera Rodriguez (Ecuador)
Oceania: Peter O’Leary (New Zealand)
Europe: Felix Brych (Germany), Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey), Jonas Eriksson (Sweden), Bjorn Kuipers (Netherlands), Milorad Mazic (Serbia), Pedro Proenca (Portugal), Nicola Rizzoli (Italy), Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain), Howard Webb (England)
A video on a conference for referee preparation for the 2014 World Cup:
[1] Referee Grades. United States Soccer Federation. http://www.kicking-back.com/docs/RefereeGrades.pdf .
[2] USSF Referee Grades Explained. US Youth Soccer. 2012. http://www.usyouthsoccer.org/referees/gradesexplained/ .
[3] Football Officials – Referees. Fifa.com. 2013. http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=usa/footballofficials/referees/peoplekind=ref.html .
[4] Park, Madison. World Cup referees outrun players. CNN Health. 4 June 2010. http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/06/04/world.cup.referees.fitness/
[5] Rosano, Nicholas. Referee Week: Road to the professional ranks a long one for aspiring referees. MLSsoccer.com. 15 May 2013. http://m.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/05/15/referee-week-road-professionarl-ranks-long-one-aspiring-referees#
[6] Interview with Thomas Babadilla. US Referee Connection. 2013. http://www.usrefereeconnection.com/interviews#!thomas-bobadilla/c1vag
[7] Park, Madison. World Cup referees outrun players.
[8] Bairner, Robin. Revealed: How Much Referees are Paid in Each European Country. Goal. 4 March 2011. http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1786/fifa/2011/03/04/2379063/revealed-how-much-referees-are-paid-in-each-european-country
[9] Nelson, Kyle. Elias Bazakos Named to the FIFA List of Referees for 2012. IMSoccer News. 9 March 2012. http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2012/03/09/elias-bazakos-named-to-the-fifa-list-of-referees-for-2012/
[10] Busacca: We must give referees all they need. FIFA.com. 22 December 2011. http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/footballdevelopment/technicalsupport/refereeing/news/newsid=1560900/
[11] Approval for Refereeing Assistance Programme and upper altitude limit for FIFA competitions. FIFA.com. 15 December 2007. http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/news/newsid=660747/
How are the officials chosen for games at the World Cup?
I myself am trying to get into refereeing profession, this article was a great help for me. Thank You. Also I am proud to be into a profession where the game is getting to new levels everyday. The way FIFA is treating the refs with good allowance and wages is just great. I am excited to officiate a match one day.
BTW 😛 You can check the Refs salaries: https://fifaworldcupmania.com/fifa-world-cup-2022-referees-salaries.html
This is also one of the reason to get into this profession 😛
Am to get this informatio, I find it helpful to me as a junior referee. Thanks and research more .
I love this football news
The common language of soccer players isn’t spoken, but a collection of hand signals and gestures. They shake their arms to signal a hand ball, tug their jerseys to convey that an opponent has been grabbing their kit, or hold up imaginary cards to insist that a caution-worthy infraction has taken place. At the World Cup, where players from 32 countries speak dozens of languages, there is often no other shared way to communicate with others or the referee.
This year in Russia, the Video Assistant Referee system, or VAR, has joined the officiating teams. It is monitored by remotely headquartered rules officials who watch the match with dozens of camera angles and chirp into earpieces of referees when they spot potential mistakes. It is the first use of technology in the game on this scale. And it has already had a major influence on the tournament.
In other words, whether or not we agree with VAR is secondary to the fact that the World Cup succeeded in making us more informed about its benefits and drawbacks.
Whether or not VAR takes off in world football remains to be seen, but whatever the decision may be, its implementation in the World Cup is a step in the right direction.
Is it legal to have guy refereing a game from one of the playing sides or tems playing on that day?
I am very much interested to know about the first woman Referees of Fifa. Can you please let me know details? Thanks.
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Referees are subject to fitness tests that few World Cup spectators would be able to pass, and some World Cup players themselves might even have a bit of trouble.
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The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men’s national association football teams. Keep posting such helpful blog.
Nicely laid out each and every process of FIFA referees and the world cup selection. In my opinion, this is the BEST process of selecting referees as only those referees get the chance of refereeing FIFA International matches who have the highest qualification level.
Here is a list of all of the referees who will be refereeing in the 2014 FIFA World Cup matches http://www.fifaworldcup2014livestream.com/2014/03/who-are-2014-fifa-world-cup-referees.html
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DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The 90-minute soccer match is turning into 100-plus at the World Cup — and that is what FIFA wants to give fans more entertainment.
The four longest periods of stoppage time for a single half of soccer at any World Cup were all played Monday, according to statistics analysis site Opta Joe.
England and Iran went into the 15th minute of stoppage time in the first half Monday and the referee added 14 minutes in the second half. A head injury for Iran’s goalkeeper explained the first, but the second raised more eyebrows.
Even more surprising were the Netherlands-Senegal and the United States-Wales games each entering the 11th minute of time added at the end for the myriad types of stoppages in modern soccer. The U.S. game that started at 10 p.m. on Monday in Doha ticked over into Tuesday when the final whistle blew.
The pattern carried on Tuesday as Argentina-Saudi Arabia went into a seventh minute of time added on at the end of the first half.
“The purpose is to offer more show to those watching the World Cup,” the chairman of FIFA’s referees committee Pierluigi Collina said in Qatar ahead of the tournament.
Collina insisted the directive to referees “is something not new." FIFA officials have long been agitated about the dwindling amount of effective playing time in the regulation 90 minutes.
In 2017, a 60-minute, stop-start game clock as in basketball was suggested as an idea to explore by Marco van Basten when the Netherlands great was then FIFA technical director.
At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the ball was typically in play for about 60 minutes. That was down to between 52 and 58 minutes at the 2018 tournament in Russia, according to one statistical analysis.
“What we want to avoid is to have a match lasting 42, 43, 44, 45 minutes of active play. This is not acceptable,” said Collina, widely seen as the best ref of his generation when he worked at the 1998 and 2002 World Cups.
Video review that was first used at the World Cup four years ago has caused some of the modern delays, with stoppages often of around two minutes to check on game-changing incidents.
Goal celebrations that now go on and on have also tested FIFA’s patience.
“Celebrations may last one, one and a half minutes,” Collina said last Friday at a briefing about FIFA’s instructions to their match officials in Qatar. “It’s easy to lose three, four, five minutes only for goal celebrations and this has to be considered and compensated at the end.”
Five second-half goals in England’s 6-2 win over Iran shows that, plus there was a VAR review to award Iran a penalty at the end of the 10 minutes of stoppage time that were initially indicated.
It helped England complete 716 passes — the second most in any World Cup game that did not include extra time.
Still, there was only one second-half goal in the 1-1 draw between the U.S. and Wales.
While fans are getting used to the new norm of longer games — and broadcasters perhaps adjust their running times of programs — the current solution is arguably than those proposed five years ago.
Van Basten's team also suggested research into combating late-game timewasting by letting referees stop their watch as play paused toward the end of each half.
Both ideas were soon shelved.
Wcup argentina saudi arabia soccer.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The 90-minute soccer match is turning into 100-plus at the World Cup — and that is what FIFA wants to give fans more entertainment.
The nearly 14 minutes added at the end of Argentina's shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday meant the five longest periods of stoppage time for a single half of soccer at any World Cup were all played in Qatar since Monday, according to statistics site Opta Joe .
England and Iran went into the 15th minute of stoppage time in the first half Monday and the referee added almost 14 minutes in the second half. A head injury for Iran’s goalkeeper explained the first, but the second raised more eyebrows.
Even more surprising were the Netherlands-Senegal and the United States-Wales games each entering the 11th minute of time added at the end for the myriad types of stoppages in modern soccer. The American game, which started at 10 p.m. on Monday in Doha, ticked over into Tuesday when the final whistle blew.
The pattern carried on Tuesday as the Argentina-Saudi Arabia match went into a seventh minute of time added on in the first half and twice as much in the second, when a Saudi defender was injured and carted off the field.
“The purpose is to offer more show to those watching the World Cup,” FIFA referees committee chairman Pierluigi Collina said in Qatar ahead of the tournament.
Collina insisted the directive to referees “is something not new." FIFA officials have long been agitated about the dwindling amount of effective playing time in the regulation 90 minutes.
In 2017, a 60-minute, stop-start game clock like in basketball was suggested by Marco van Basten when the Netherlands great was then FIFA technical director.
Five years ago, even Van Basten noted wryly it had become routine for referees to add one minute in the first half and three in the second regardless of what actually happened on the field.
At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the ball was typically in play for about 60 minutes. That was down to between 52 and 58 minutes at the 2018 tournament in Russia, according to one statistical analysis .
“What we want to avoid is to have a match lasting 42, 43, 44, 45 minutes of active play. This is not acceptable,” said Collina, widely seen as the best ref of his generation when he worked at the 1998 and 2002 World Cups.
Video review that was first used at the World Cup four years ago has caused some of the modern delays, with stoppages often lasting about two minutes to check on game-changing incidents.
Goal celebrations that now go on and on have also tested FIFA’s patience.
“Celebrations may last one, one and a half minutes,” Collina said last Friday at a briefing about FIFA instructions to their match officials in Qatar. “It’s easy to lose three, four, five minutes only for goal celebrations and this has to be considered and compensated at the end.”
Five second-half goals in England’s 6-2 win over Iran shows that, plus there was a VAR review to award Iran a penalty at the end of the 10 minutes of stoppage time that were initially indicated.
It helped England complete 730 passes — the second most in any World Cup game that did not include extra time.
Still, there was only one second-half goal in the 1-1 draw between the United States and Wales.
While fans are getting used to the new norm of longer games — and broadcasters perhaps adjust their running times of programs — the current solution is arguably better than those proposed five years ago.
Van Basten's team also suggested research into combating late-game time-wasting by letting referees stop their watch as play paused toward the end of each half. Both ideas were soon shelved.
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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Wilton Sampaio, the heavily-criticised referee who took charge of England's World Cup quarter-final with France , is surprisingly still in with a chance of officiating the final of the tournament.
A total of 36 referees from around the globe were selected by FIFA at the start of the competition, but that number has now been slashed to 12 for the final week of action.
Per the Daily Mail , 40-year-old Sampaio is reportedly among the dozen officials who have been asked to remain in Qatar by football's governing body.
That's despite a questionable showing in Saturday's encounter at Al Bayt Stadium, which Three Lions defender Harry Maguire called "really poor" after the match.
READ MORE: England vs France: Harry Maguire's interview about referee after World Cup defeat
Sampaio made a number of controversial decisions during England's 2-1 defeat, including refusing to penalise Dayot Upamecano for his rash challenge on Bukayo Saka in the build-up to Aurelien Tchouameni's opener for France.
The referee then refused to give either a penalty or a free-kick outside the box for a clumsy challenge on the very edge of the area by Upamecano on Harry Kane.
Check out our 2022 World Cup hub page
There were also several other incidents throughout the match that left the England camp frustrated. As Maguire would later put it: "He [Sampaio] never gave us anything!"
Given the level of debate over his performance, it's really quite a shock that Sampaio has been selected to remain at the tournament when many other established referees have been informed that their services are no longer required.
Among those to have returned home ahead of the semi-finals include respected Premier League official Michael Oliver.
The 37-year-old was praised for his work during the three matches he took charge of in Qatar - including Croatia's quarter-final victory over Brazil - but that hasn't resulted in any further assignments for the Northumberland-based man.
AL RAYYAN, QATAR - DECEMBER 09: Neymar of Brazil speaks to Referee Michael Oliver during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 quarter final match between Croatia and Brazil at Education City Stadium on December 09, 2022 in Al Rayyan, Qatar. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
Joining Oliver in departing the Gulf state will be all three female officials who were breaking new ground at this World Cup.
Stephanie Frappart of France, Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda and Yoshimi Yamashita of Japan were all absent from FIFA's final list of 12.
Elsewhere, Argentina fans will be pleased to hear that Antonio Mateu Lahoz's tournament is over.
LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - DECEMBER 09: Referee Antonio Mateu shows a yellow card to Lionel Messi of Argentina during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 quarter final match between Netherlands and Argentina at Lusail Stadium on December 09, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
The Spanish official was described as "useless" by Argentine goalkeeper Emi Martinez after he lost all control of Friday's quarter-final against the Netherlands.
The 45-year-old brandished no less than 17 yellow cards in the ill-tempered showdown. However, he won't be adding to his tally of cards at this edition of the World Cup as he's among those who have been cut by FIFA.
The 2022 World Cup final could still be overseen by an Englishman.
Premier League official Anthony Taylor remains part of the contingent of officials still involved at the tournament, together with his assistants Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn.
Another official who remains in contention to take charge of the final is Dutch referee Danny Makkelie.
Makkelie was the man who ultimately awarded Argentina a penalty in the group stages after Poland's Wojciech Szczesny was deemed to have fouled Lionel Messi by putting his hands in the face of the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner.
You can check out the full list of referees remaining at the tournament below:
Anthony Taylor (England)
Daniele Orsato (Italy)
Danny Makkelie (Netherlands)
Szymon Marciniak (Poland)
Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (Qatar)
Muhammad Abdulla Hassan Muhammad (UAE)
Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria)
Cesar Ramos (Mexico)
Ismail Elfath (USA)
Raphael Claus (Brazil)
Wilton Sampaio (Brazil)
Jesus Valenzuela (Venezuela)
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Tori Penso and Katja Koroleva may have more invested in the U.S. team ’s performance at this summer’s Women’s World Cup than anyone not wearing a uniform.
As the only two center referees from the U.S. chosen to work the World Cup, how far they go will be determined by how far the national team goes in the tournament, which kicks off in Australia and New Zealand on July 20. If the U.S. reaches the final — as it has five times in the previous eight World Cups — the American officials will be barred from working that game. Even the semifinals could be a bridge too far.
“These rules aren’t in writing,” Penso said. “But there’s certainly a lot that goes into consideration when it comes to assignments. I wouldn’t be part of any game that would have impact on the U.S.”
Ahead of the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, we review the USWNT’s all-time greats and its up-and-coming stars.
July 13, 2023
That’s why Kari Seitz , among the most decorated soccer officials of all-time, worked four Women’s World Cups and three Olympic tournaments, yet never did a final. That did little to stunt her career — she’s now FIFA head of officiating for women.
“If she can go to four World Cups and still manage to be as successful as she was, I don’t think you need a final to do it,” Penso said. “But certainly the U.S. program does limit where we end up at the end.”
Not so long ago, that might not have been an issue because no U.S. referee, other than Seitz, would likely have been considered for a World Cup final. That all changed last December in Qatar when four Americans were named to the officiating team for the championship game. Ismail Elfath was on the field as the fourth official, Kyle Atkins was the assistant video assistant referee and Kathryn Nesbitt and Corey Parker were reserve officials.
So while Argentina won the game, the U.S. won the night.
“We’ve made such big strides,” said Mark Geiger , a two-time World Cup official who now heads the Professional Referee Organization (PRO), which manages the officials for pro soccer in the U.S. and Canada. “We’ve seen this progression of officiating and it’s putting U.S. Soccer on the map in terms of refereeing and it’s raising the bar for all officials. We’re doing better and better on the world stage, getting more opportunities and now we’re in the conversation for games in the knockout phase.”
Penso is a part of that conversation even though she didn’t get her FIFA badge, making her ineligible to work international matches, until 2021. She didn’t need a badge to prove her competency; what she needed was an opportunity.
Penso was 10 years old when she started following her brothers to the soccer fields near their home in Florida. When her brothers started officiating games to earn a little pocket change, Penso decided to do that too, using that money to buy her first car. But by the time she finished college the sport seemed like a dead end; there was no women’s professional league and no full-time female referees.
Jill Ellis will have a rooting interest in the 2023 Women’s World Cup, but her impact on soccer stretches beyond her storied stint as USWNT coach.
July 12, 2023
So she took marketing jobs with Coca-Cola and Red Bull and got a master’s degree, all while officiating on the side in collegiate tournaments and later in the NWSL. She showed enough promise that in 2019 she was asked to join PRO’s development program and a year later she became the first woman in two decades to serve as the center referee in an MLS match.
But the turning point in her career came during the last Women’s World Cup in France, which Penso watched on television while cradling her infant daughter, Brinley, her third child, in her arms. If she wanted to break through as an official, she decided, she would have to quit her day job at an advertising agency and dedicate herself to soccer, just as her husband, Chris Penso , a former Ohio highway patrolman and an MLS referee since 2011, had done.
For both the move was made possible by PRO, which made officials full-time salaried employees rather than part-time workers like NFL referees, most of whom are paid by the game.
“Refereeing was kind of my side hustle,” said Tori Penso, who turned 37 earlier this month. “Now that’s completely flipped and I’m headed to the World Cup. Unbelievable.”
It’s been a rapid rise, one that has coincided not just with the ascent of U.S. referees, but also with the improvement in performance and opportunity for female officials. Earlier this season, for example, Penso was the center referee on a crew that included assistant referee Brooke Mayo and fourth official Felisha Mariscal , marking the first time three women have worked an MLS game together.
That’s not Penso’s only historic achievement. Perhaps more impressive is the fact she didn’t really dedicate herself to refereeing until after giving birth to three children. And with Mayo, Mariscal, Koroleva, Nesbitt and VAR referee Armando Villarreal joining her in New Zealand and Australia at the World Cup, Penso will make more history as one of a record six U.S. officials at the tournament.
“Every little kid dreams of one day making it on the field at the World Cup,” Penso said. “For me, I didn’t know it would ever be possible once I started to have a family. It wasn’t typical for officials to have a family and come back and be successful — or at least rise in the ranks that way.”
None of the six are guaranteed an assignment in the 64-game tournament. Each of the 107 match officials invited to the World Cup will be evaluated during a pre-tournament training camp and given games based on their performance. Additional assignments will be handed out on merit — though even the best officials might not make the final if their national team does as well.
Alex Morgan is more than just a soccer icon. The two-time World Cup winner has played a leading role on and off the field in helping women flourish.
“I don’t have control over that,” Penso said. “What I can control is every time we step on that pitch, doing a good job and serving the game well. How do we get better? How do we encourage, inspire and engage more women in this game in all capacities?
“When little girls see us out on that field, they believe anything is possible and that’s not just in soccer. It transcends sport, right?”
June 4, 2024
May 21, 2024
March 20, 2024
Kevin Baxter writes about soccer and hockey for the Los Angeles Times. He has covered seven World Cups, four Olympic Games, six World Series and a Super Bowl and has contributed to three Pulitzer Prize-winning series at The Times and Miami Herald. An essay he wrote in fifth grade was voted best in the class. He has a cool dog.
Angel City FC
July 8, 2024
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by Kyle Fansler July 08, 2024
With the semifinals approaching for both the Euros and Copa America, FOX Sports has revealed the commentator assignments for each. Both Tuesday and Wednesday bring a doubleheader of contests with one game in each tournament. On Tuesday, France plays Spain in one of the best games of Euro 2024 to date. That evening, Reigning Copa America and World Cup champion Argentina looks to take a step closer to repeating its success when it faces surprise semifinalist Canada. Jesse Marsch is leading Canada to its best performance in its history by reaching the final four of the competition.
On Wednesday, England and the Netherlands play for the first time at a major international tournament since the group stage of Euro 1996. The Three Lions won that game 4-1 with both teams already in the quarterfinals. Now, they meet again with a spot in the Euro 2024 Final on the line. FOX follows up its coverage of that game with an enticing affair in the Copa America between Uruguay and Colombia. The two most in-form teams in the Copa America so far are sure to deliver fireworks in Charlotte, NC, when they each look for a spot in this coming weekend’s final.
FOX has used the same broadcast crews for games throughout the Copa America and Euros, and that does not change during the semifinals. To keep things consistent, FOX will broadcast the Euro 2024 semifinals on its broadcast channel to continue that trend for the European Championship. By comparison, Fox Sports 1 will have coverage of the Copa America games, which has been the case for the quarterfinals. Streaming services like Fubo will have access to both channels for those looking to stream the contests.
The teams reaching the semifinals of the Euros and Copa America have largely done so in scrappy ways . The Copa America had three penalty shootouts , each without using extra time based on CONMEBOL’s questionable formatting practices . England and France have looked dismal, with the latter failing to have one of its players score from open play, instead relying on a penalty and two own goals for its three total goals. Spain has looked strong, and Canada remains the surprise team among the eight still left in contention to win the two international titles.
Regardless, that is in the past. The semifinals will deliver drama at some point, even if that means coming down to penalties . For reference, there have been six penalty shootouts between the two tournaments this summer. It is a controversial way to end a game, but an exciting one, nonetheless.
FOX’s commentators are likely ready to call a penalty shootout based on the propensity of it happening. Still, they must be prepared with millions of American fans tuning in despite many of the top nations in each tournament crashing out earlier than anticipated. Here is who will be working the FOX commentator assignments for the Copa America and Euros this week.
All of the following times are US Eastern Time.
3 p.m. — Spain vs. France. FOX. — Derek Rae and Robert Green.
8 p.m. — Argentina vs. Canada. Fox Sports 1. — John Strong and Stu Holden.
3 p.m. — The Netherlands vs. England. FOX. — Ian Darke and Landon Donovan.
8 p.m. — Uruguay vs. Colombia. Fox Sports 1. — John Strong and Stu Holden.
PHOTOS: IMAGO
Uefa wrong to use match-fixing referee at euro 2024, bbc scores major viewership for england win over switzerland, pedri's injury woes: how long will barcelona midfielder be out, netherlands fights to bloody 2-1 win over turkiye.
Dale Johnson explains the reason behind why Uruguay's goal was allowed to stand against the USMNT in the Copa América. (1:21)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- United States captain Christian Pulisic was clear in stating that he did not believe officiating was to blame for his team's group-stage exit at Copa América , but he was baffled by the decisions made in Monday's 1-0 loss to Uruguay at Arrowhead Stadium, a result that sealed the Americans' fate.
"Honestly, I mean I saw things that I've never seen before right in front of my eyes today that I just I truly I can't believe," Pulisic told reporters. "It's not why we lost; we're not out of this tournament because of officiating.
"But really, I've just seen things that I just really -- I mean I think everyone can just give admit I don't know what I'm looking at. I don't know what they're calling. I don't know what he's -- he gives no explanation. He's doing things that I just can't accept."
Referee Kevin Ortega was seen on camera refusing to shake Pulisic's hand following the final whistle after Pulisic appeared to first gesture something to him from a distance.
"He wouldn't shake my hand. It's normal -- I mean, I guess."
Uruguay defender Mathías Olivera scored the only goal of the game in the 66th minute. Olivera appeared to be in an offside position when the ball was flicked on, but a lengthy VAR review confirmed the goal without sending Ortega to the video monitor. Replays showed an indiscernible amount of overlap between Olivera's body and the foot of USMNT defender Chris Richards , who ostensibly held the Uruguayan onside.
"It's pretty crazy, really," USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter said of the call. "I don't understand it. You know, I feel like I know the rule pretty well. I feel like we had the pictures that are showing how the rule could be interpreted and it's an offside goal. It's disappointing, it really is, but you know, that happens in football and we have to live with it, obviously."
There were several controversial no calls throughout Monday's match, but the oddest moment outside of the goal came in the 32nd minute, when Ortega pulled out a yellow card to issue to Richards. Uruguay went to play the free kick quickly, and, before fully extending his arm to raise the yellow card, Ortega raised his other arm to indicate a "play on" signal. Nahitan Nández was in behind on goal but scuffed his shot.
The game is typically held up when a yellow card is being issued so that the referee can record the booking. Several U.S. players argued with Ortega after the play. Adams said after the match it was the "first time I'd ever seen" an incident like that.
The 1-0 loss, combined with Panama's 3-1 win over Bolívia in a simultaneous match, left the USMNT third in the group. It is the first time the U.S. has failed to advance from the group stage of a Copa America, Gold Cup or World Cup played on home soil. The U.S. will co-host the 2026 World Cup.
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Today, the FIFA Referees Committee announced the lists with the names of the selected match officials for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. 36 referees, 69 assistant referees and 24 video match officials (VMOs) have been chosen in close cooperation with the six confederations, based on their quality and the performances delivered at FIFA tournaments as well as at other international and ...
2022 FIFA World Cup officials. The following is a list of match officials (referees, assistant referees, and video assistant referees) who officiated at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. [1] FIFA appoints ten officials for each match of the tournament. This includes the on-site team of the referee, two assistant referees, the fourth official ...
However, according to multiple reports, referees at World Cup 2018 were paid $70,000 overall—a significant boost from the $50,000 they made at Brazil 2014—plus $3,000 per match.
Kyle Atkins, Ismail Elfath, Drew Fischer, Kathryn Nesbitt, Corey Parker and Armando Villarreal r epresented the Professional Referee Organization at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. They have officiated in the following games: Game 5, France vs Australia (11/22/22) RAR: Kathryn Nesbitt. VAR: Drew Fischer.
Mukansanga, Frappart and Yamashita. FIFA selected a total of 36 referees from all over the world to officiate at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The list includes thirty-three (33) males and three (3) females; Frances's Stephanie Frappart, Japan's Yoshimi Yamashita, and Rwanda's Salima Mukansanga who will become the first women to referee at ...
CHICAGO (Dec. 17, 2022) - As the 2022 FIFA World Cup draws to a close this weekend, the five U.S. Soccer referees appointed for the global stage have shone at the highest level, having been ...
For World Cup 2022, FIFA has released a list of 36 referees, 69 assistant referees and 24 video match officials overseeing the video assistant referee (VAR) system.This will be the first World Cup ...
Anthony Taylor (England) - 2017 FA Cup final, 2020 Uefa Super Cup, 2021 Uefa Nations League Final. Clement Turpin (France) - 2021 Uefa Europa League final, 2022 Uefa Champions League. Slavko ...
World Cup 2022 Qatar » Referees - Statistical overview, Appearances, Disciplinary
FIFA has appointed 129 officials for the Qatar World Cup: 36 referees, 69 assistant referees and 24 video match officials.
Toggle World Cup Final match officials subsection. 1.1 By country. 1.2 By confederation. 2 Number of matches. 3 References. ... FIFA World Cup referees are FIFA international referees who officiate at the FIFA World Cup matches. World Cup Final match officials. Year Referee Assistant Referees
Playing in a FIFA World Cup final is a massive honor for the squads taking part in the tournament, but for football match officials, it is the biggest reward one can achieve in the profession.
Szymon Marciniak will be the man in the middle on Sunday (18 December) when Paris St-Germain club teammates Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé face each other with their national teams Argentina and France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final.. When the Polish referee steps out to lead the officiating team at Lusail Stadium, it will signify a remarkable comeback to the top of world football ...
World Cup referee assignments are not easy to come by, particularly in the tournament final, but Argentina have produced multiple officials capable of taking on this role. The 2006 final in Germany was presided over by Horacio Elizondo, a decorated ref who retired soon after the game, having achieved all his sporting goals. ...
World Cup semifinal ref assignments confirmed — every team feels cheated and wronged. By Connor Fleming December 12, 2022. It's all one big conspiracy against Pepe. Getty Images.
World Cup referees make $50,000 for the tournament, which spans over 2 months. While this is a sizable sum, this is only awarded to the 10 best FIFA referees. Not all FIFA referees are granted this type of financial reward. Many referees hold full-time or part-time in addition to refereeing international matches.
Chantal Boudreau, Carol Anne Chenard, Drew Fischer, Katja Koroleva, Felisha Mariscal, Brooke Mayo, Kathryn Nesbitt, Tori Penso and Armando Villarreal represented the Professional Referee Organization at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. They officiated in the following games:
FIFA's orders to World Cup referees add up to 100-minute games. DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The 90-minute soccer match is turning into 100-plus at the World Cup — and that is what FIFA wants to give ...
The referee assistant shows 8 minutes overtime during the World Cup group C soccer match between Argentina and Saudi Arabia at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022.
Wilton Sampaio, the heavily-criticised referee who took charge of England's World Cup quarter-final with France, is surprisingly still in with a chance of officiating the final of the tournament ...
Referee Mark Geiger from the U.S. shows a yellow card to Colombia's Juan Cuadrado during the round of 16 match between Colombia and England at the 2018 World Cup in Moscow, Russia, on July 3, 2018.
Today, the FIFA Referees Committee announced the lists with the names of the selected match officials for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. 36 referees, 69 assistant referees and 24 video match ...
Referees and assistant referees. In January 2023, the FIFA Referees Committee announced the list of 33 referees, 55 assistant referees from all six confederations for the Women's World Cup. Of the 33 referees, FIFA included 2 each from Australia, Canada, South Korea, and the United States. [1] Confederation. Referees. Assistants. Matches assigned.
It wasn't the first time that Sampaio has caused controversy.He had England fans, and players Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane in despair for his handling of the 2022 World Cup quarter final ...
The center referee for the Euro 2024 semifinal match between England and the Netherlands, Felix Zwayer, is already at the center of controversy. Zwayer previously served a six-month ban for accepting a bribe of 300 euros and assisting another referee in match-fixing. That happened back in 2005, and Zwayer has since risen to become a […]
It is the first time the U.S. has failed to advance from the group stage of a Copa America, Gold Cup or World Cup played on home soil. The U.S. will co-host the 2026 World Cup. The U.S. will co ...
Even after sweeping the Tampa Bay Rays, the Texas Rangers are still a long way from being a serious contender for a repeat World Series bid. For now, the goal is likely to inch as close to .500 as ...
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Referees now have an open line of dialogue with the teams to explain key decisions, including those involving VAR. This information and accompanying explanations are provided only to the team ...
The Premier League referee drew the ire of Germany fans after he turned down calls for handball against Chelsea's Marc Cucurella in their quarter-final defeat last Friday. Spain won the tie 2-1 ...