FIFA unveils 52 referees for World Cup, including six women
FIFA has unveiled its list of match officials for the June 11-July 19 World Cup, including 52 referees, six of whom are women. The FIFA Team One cohort comprises 52 refereesincluding six womenalongside 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials, drawn from all six confederations and representing 50 Member Associations. The appointments were made on the basis of FIFAs long-standing quality first principle, while consideration was given to the consistency of the performances delivered by candidates at FIFA tournaments, as well as in international and domestic competitions in recent years. Pierluigi Collina, FIFAs Chief Refereeing Officer and chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, said: The selected match officials are the very best in the world. They were part of a wider pool of officials that was identified and monitored over the past three years. They have attended seminars and officiated at FIFA tournaments.In addition, their performances in domestic and international matches were regularly assessed.
The selected officials have received, and will continue to receive, comprehensive support from our fitness coaches and medical staff, including physiotherapists and a mental specialist. Our goal is to ensure that theyre in optimal physical and mental condition when they arrive in Miami on 31 May. This years FIFA World Cup will be the biggest in history, with a 48-team line-up and 104 matches to be contested across the most extensive geographical footprint in the tournaments history, Collina continued. Itll be the largest FIFA Team One ever, with 41 more match officials than at Qatar 2022. Each of them must be ready to be appointed for a match and to contribute actively to ensuring that the refereeing at the World Cup is a success. The fact that six women match officials have been selected continues a trend that was started four years ago in Qatar, as we aim to further develop womens refereeing. During the tournament, the match officials will train on a daily basis, with the sessions to feature the participation of local players. Collina added: As has been the case at FIFA tournaments in the past, our match analysts will provide the match officials with all the information they need to prepare properly for their games. Well leave no stone unturned in ensuring that our match officials are fully prepared, and were confident that FIFA Team One will meet the challenges that lie ahead at this groundbreaking competition. As at previous World Cups, technology will play an important role in supporting match officials in their decision-making. Goal-line technology, an advanced version of semi-automated offside technology and connected ball technology, will be used, while for the first time in World Cup history, fans will be able to see things from the referees on-field perspective thanks to the use of new technologies, Collina concluded. FIFA Director of Refereeing Massimo Busacca said: The road to the FIFA World Cup 2026 began immediately after the conclusion of Qatar 2022, with a structured programme involving seminars, workshops, and continuous monitoring. Throughout this period, all candidates were closely evaluated by FIFA instructors, fitness coaches, doctors, and physiotherapists, receiving comprehensive support to ensure that they achieve the highest possible standards at the tournament. Team One will be based in Miami, where the selected match officials will meet for a ten-day preparation seminar starting on 31 May. Following this event, the video match officials will relocate to Dallas, which will be home to the International Broadcast Centre, while the referees, assistant referees and support staff will remain in Miami.The post
FIFA unveils 52 referees for World Cup, including six women appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.
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