UEFA Europa League – Semi-finals (First Leg)

2 May 2019

Arsenal – Valencia
Referee: Clement Turpin (FRA, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Nicolas Danos (FRA)
Assistant Referee 2: Cyril Gringore (FRA)
Fourth Official: Hicham Zakrani (FRA)
Additional AR 1: Benoît Bastien (FRA)
Additional AR 2: Ruddy Buquet (FRA)
Referee Observer: Francesco Bianchi (SUI)

Eintracht Frankfurt – Chelsea FC
Referee: Carlos Del Cerro Grande (ESP)
Assistant Referee 1: Juan Yuste Jimenez (ESP)
Assistant Referee 2: Roberto Alonso Fernandez (ESP)
Fourth Official: Raul Cabanero Martínez (ESP)
Additional AR 1: Jesus Gil Manzano (ESP)
Additional AR 2: Jose Sanchez Martínez (ESP)
Referee Observer: Jaap Uilenberg (NED)

Concacaf Champions League Final 2019 (Second Leg)

1 May 2019

Monterrey CF – Tigres UANL
Referee: Jair Marrufo (USA, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Corey Rockwell (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: Frank Anderson (USA)
Fourth Official: Armando Villarreal (USA)
Referee Assessor: George Malcolm (SKN)

UEFA Champions League – Semi-finals (First Leg)

30 April - 1 May 2019

Tottenham Hotspur – AFC Ajax
Referee: Antonio Mateu Lahoz (ESP, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Pau Cebrian Devis (ESP)
Assistant Referee 2: Roberto Diaz Perez (ESP)
Fourth Official: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (ESP)
VAR: Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez (ESP)
AVAR: Juan Martinez Munuera (ESP)
Referee Observer: Herbert Fandel (GER)

FC Barcelona – FC Liverpool
Referee: Björn Kuipers (NED)
Assistant Referee 1: Mario Diks (NED)
Assistant Referee 2: Erwin Zeinstra (NED)
Fourth Official: Anastasios Sidiropoulos (GRE)
VAR: Danny Makkelie (NED)
AVAR: Pol van Boekel (NED)
Referee Observer: Bo Karlsson (SWE)

Important experience for UEFA Youth League referees

Alongside the talented young players currently taking part in the UEFA Youth League finals, three referee teams are gathering experience for tomorrow as they continue on their career pathways. The three referee teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Switzerland and France who are at the UEFA Youth League finals are being urged to make the most of the experience on their career paths.

Friday's first semi-final between Hoffenheim and Porto in Nyon was refereed by a team from Bosnia and Herzegovina – referee Irfan Peljto, assistant referees Senad Ibrišimbegović and Davor Beljo, and fourth official Admir Šehović. 

The second semi-final pitting Barcelona against Chelsea was officiated by the Swiss quartet of referee Sandro Schärer, assistant referees Stéphane De Almeida and Bekim Zogaj, and fourth official Lionel Tschudi. 

Monday's final between Porto and Chelsea at the Colovray Stadium will be refereed by a French team. Referee François Letexier will be accompanied by assistant referees Cyril Mugnier and Mehdi Rahmouni, as well as fourth official Jérôme Brisard. 

The trio of referee teams have been selected for the finals on the basis of the potential they have shown during the present season, not only in UEFA competitions, but also in their countries' domestic football. "They have had a good season, and they can be considered, like other referees of their generation, as promising match officials," said UEFA refereeing officer Marc Batta, who is working as an observer at the Nyon finals along with UEFA Referees Committee chairman Roberto Rosetti. "It's always rewarding for a referee to be part of the three selected teams for these finals." The referees are also being given important advice and guidance at the finals. "The referees are in Nyon for three days," Batta explained, "and we make use of their presence to review their seasons and discuss their future objectives. After the matches, we hold debrief sessions about their performances and, if necessary, we use clips of their specific match to be able to give more precise feedback. Roberto Rosetti is attending all three matches, because we are well aware of the importance of observing, monitoring and preparing referees for the future." As part of UEFA's comprehensive referee development activities, eight of the 12 match officials chosen for this year's finals have taken part in the UEFA Centre of Refereeing Excellence (CORE) programme, which makes a vital contribution in nurturing young referees in the early stages of their careers. UEFA also instructs all of its referees to protect football's image. Consequently, the officials at the UEFA Youth League finals are being asked to uphold important values and act as 'educators' to the young footballers on the pitch. In managing the players, the referees are playing a key role in helping them to learn values such as respect for the referee and opponents. "Respect is the key word," Batta said. "We place great importance on protection of the players, referees and the game itself. In addition, the referees are asked to be alert to any incidents of violence or racist conduct. For youth competitions, they are referees – but, if necessary, they can indeed take on the role of 'educators'." The referee teams are picking up crucial experience at the UEFA Youth League finals. "It should serve as an encouragement to them to continue working and progressing," Batta emphasised. "In a few weeks, as is always the case at the end of each season, we will be revising the referee categories. Whatever the outcome, their main task will be to continue to work hard. It is only in the dictionary that 'success' comes before 'work'." 

Source: UEFA

UEFA Futsal Champions League Final 2019: Tomic & Jelic (CRO)

28 April 2019

Final
Sporting CP – Kairat Almaty
Referee 1: Saša Tomić (CRO, photo)
Referee 2: Nikola Jelić (CRO)
Third Referee: Marc Birkett (ENG)
Timekeeper: Kamil Çetin (TUR)

Match for Third Place
Inter FS – FC Barcelona
Referee 1: Alessandro Malfer (ITA)
Referee 2: Angelo Galante (ITA)
Third Referee: Kamil Çetin (TUR)
Timekeeper: Marc Birkett (ENG)

UEFA Women’s Champions League – Semi-finals (Second Leg)

28 April 2019

FC Barcelona – Bayern München
Referee: Esther Staubli (SUI, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Susann Küng (SUI)
Assistant Referee 2: Sian Massey (ENG)
Fourth Official: Désirée Grundbacher (SUI)
Referee Observer: Irina Mirt (ROU)

Chelsea FCW – Olympique Lyonnais
Referee: Sara Persson (SWE)
Assistant Referee 1: Julia Magnusson (SWE)
Assistant Referee 2: Josefin Aronsson (SWE)
Fourth Official: Pernilla Larsson (SWE)
Referee Observer: Maria Luisa Villa (ESP)

CAF Champions League – Semi-finals

First Leg, 26-27 April 2019

ES Tunis – TP Mazembe
Referee: Bakary Gassama (GAM, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Djibril Camara (SEN)
Assistant Referee 2: El Hadji Samba (SEN)

Wydad AC – Mamelodi Sundowns
Referee: Joshua Bondo (BOT)
Assistant Referee 1: Arsenio Marengula (MOZ)
Assistant Referee 2: Souru Phatsoane (LES)

Second Leg, 4 May 2019

TP Mazembe – ES Tunis
Referee: Victor Gomes (RSA)
Assistant Referee 1: Zakhele Siwela (RSA)
Assistant Referee 2: Matheus Kanyanga (NAM)

Mamelodi Sundowns – Wydad AC
Referee: Helder Martins (ANG)
Assistant Referee 1: Jerson Dos Santos (ANG)
Assistant Referee 2: Ivanildo Lopes (ANG)

CAF Confederation Cup – Semi-finals

First Leg, 28 April 2019

CS Sfaxien – RS Berkane
Referee: Bamlak Tessema (ETH, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Temesgin Atango (ETH)
Assistant Referee 2: Mohammed Ibrahim (SDN)

Zamalek – TBD

Second Leg, 5 May 2019

RS Berkane – CS Sfaxien
Referee: Maguette Ndiaye (SEN)
Assistant Referee 1: Elvis Noupue (CMR)
Assistant Referee 2: Seydou Tiama (BFA)

TBD – Zamalek

CONMEBOL Copa Sudamericana – First Round (Second Leg, IV)

30 April - 2 May 2019

Colo Colo – Universidad Catolica
Referee: Rodolpho Toski (BRA, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Fabricio Vilarinho (BRA)
Assistant Referee 2: Guilherme Camilo (BRA)
Fourth Official: Dewson Fretas (BRA)
Referee Assessor: Henry Gambetta (PER)

Atletico Cerro – UTC Cajamarca
Referee: Angel Arteaga (VEN)
Assistant Referee 1: Luis Murillo (VEN)
Assistant Referee 2: Lubin Torrealba (VEN)
Fourth Official: Juan Soto (VEN)
Referee Assessor: Ricardo Casas (ARG)

Sol de America – Atletico Mineiro
Referee: Ivo Mendez (BOL)
Assistant Referee 1: Jose Antelo (BOL)
Assistant Referee 2: Reluy Vallejos (BOL)
Fourth Official: Juan Garcia (BOL)
Referee Assessor: Roberto Perassi (BRA)

Deportivo Binacional – Independiente
Referee: Cristian Garay (CHI)
Assistant Referee 1: Raul Orellana (CHI)
Assistant Referee 2: Claudio Urrutia (CHI)
Fourth Official: Piero Maza (CHI)
Referee Assessor: Manuel Bernal (PAR)

Estudiantes Merida – Argentinos Juniors
Referee: Nicolas Gallo (COL)
Assistant Referee 1: Sebastian Vela (COL)
Assistant Referee 2: Miguel Roldan (COL)
Fourth Official: John Ospina (COL)
Referee Assessor: Jose Carpio (ECU)

Guarani – Deportivo Cali
Referee: Facundo Tello (ARG)
Assistant Referee 1: Maximiliano Del Yesso (ARG)
Assistant Referee 2: Lucas Germanotta (ARG)
Fourth Official: Mauro Vigliano (ARG)
Referee Assessor: Carlos Pastorino (URU)

UEFA Futsal Champions League – Semi-finals

26 April 2019

Sporting CP – Inter FS
Referee 1: Marc Birkett (ENG, photo)
Referee 2: Kamil Çetin (TUR)
Third Referee: Saša Tomić (CRO)
Timekeeper: Nikola Jelić (CRO)

FC Barcelona – Kairat Almaty
Referee 1: Alessandro Malfer (ITA)
Referee 2: Angelo Galante (ITA)
Third Referee: Nikola Jelić (CRO)
Timekeeper: Saša Tomić (CRO)

OFC Champions League – Semi-finals

28 April 2019

AS Magenta – Auckland City
Referee: David Yareboinen (PNG, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Folio Moeaki (TGA)
Assistant Referee 2: Hilmon Sese (VAN)
Fourth Official: Joel Hopken (VAN)

Hienghene Sport – Team Wellington
Referee: George Time (SOL)
Assistant Referee 1: Stephen Seniga (SOL)
Assistant Referee 2: Avinesh Narayan (FIJ)
Fourth Official: Norbert Hauata (TAH)

UEFA Youth League Final 2019: Letexier (FRA)

Semi-finals (26 April 2019)

FC Barcelona – Chelsea
Referee: Sandro Schärer (SUI)
Assistant Referee 1: Stephane Almeida (SUI)
Assistant Referee 2: Bekim Zogaj (SUI)
Fourth Official: Lionel Tschudi (SUI)
Referee Observer: Roberto Rosetti (ITA)

TSG Hoffenheim – FC Porto
Referee: Irfan Peljto (BIH)
Assistant Referee 1: Senad Ibrišimbegović (BIH)
Assistant Referee 2: Davor Beljo (BIH)
Fourth Official: Admir Šehović (BIH)
Referee Observer: Marc Batta (FRA)

Final (29 April 2019)

FC Porto – Chelsea
Referee: François Letexier (FRA, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Cyril Mugnier (FRA)
Assistant Referee 2: Mehdi Rahmouni (FRA)
Fourth Official: Jerôme Brisard (FRA)
Referee Observer: Roberto Rosetti (ITA)

Frappart set to become first female referee in Ligue 1

Stephanie Frappart will become the first woman to referee a French Ligue 1 match when Amiens host Strasbourg on 28 April 2019, said the French Football Federation (FFF). The 35-year-old Frappart, the only referee from France who will be officiating at the Women’s World Cup this summer, was also the first woman to officiate a Ligue 2 match in 2014 and has overseen 13 matches in the men’s second tier this season, as well as one French Cup tie. She took charge of a semi-final in the 2017 Women’s European Championship.

"Stephanie Frappart, selected by FIFA for the Women’s World Cup in France, has been appointed by the French Refereeing Direction for the Ligue 1 match between Amiens SC and RC Strasbourg". FIFA has invited the federations with a chosen referee for the 2019 Women's World Cup to prepare them under the best conditions for this high level competition. Their preparation, technical, athletic, will also be focused on the use of video assistance, which will be in function at this World Cup. Clement Turpin, selected by FIFA as VAR for this competition, will assist Stephanie Frappart on this Ligue 1 match”, said FFF.

Frappart is not the first woman to officiate a top-flight men’s game in Europe’s top leagues. Germany’s Bibiana Steinhaus became the first woman to officiate a Bundesliga match in 2017, when Hertha Berlin drew 1-1 with Werder Bremen, but no woman has refereed a top-tier match in England, Spain or Italy.

Source: Reuters

UEFA Futsal Champions League Finals 2019

Almaty, 26-28 April 2019

Referees
1. Marc Birkett (ENG, photo)
2. Kamil Çetin (TUR)
3. Angelo Galante (ITA)
4. Nikola Jelić (CRO)
5. Alessandro Malfer (ITA)
6. Saša Tomić (CRO)

Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship 2019

Mexico, 13-19 May 2019

Referees
1. Warner Porras (CRC)
2. Luis Torres (CRC)
3. Erlis Bermudez (CUB)
4. Arian Perez (CUB)
5. Alexander Rafoso (CUB)
6. Juan Angeles (DOM, photo)
7. Robert Gomez (DOM)
8. Juan Estrada (GUA)
9. Miguel Lopez (GUA)
10. Miguel Aguilar (MEX)
11. Mario Nava (MEX)
12. Jair Robles (MEX)
13. Gumercindo Batista (PAN)
14. Arquel Carrasco (PAN)
15. Jorge Tunon (PAN)
16. Gonzalo Carballo (SLV)
17. David Cruz (SLV)
18. Julio Ramos (SLV)

Concacaf Champions League Final 2019 (First Leg)

23 April 2019

Tigres UANL – Monterrey CF
Referee: John Pitti (PAN, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Christian Ramirez (HON)
Assistant Referee 2: Alejandro Camarena (PAN)
Fourth Official: Hector Martinez (HON)

UEFA Women’s Champions League – Semi-finals (First Leg)

21 April 2019

Olympique Lyonnais – Chelsea FCW
Referee: Katalin Kulcsar (HUN, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Katalin Török (HUN)
Assistant Referee 2: Katrin Rafalski (GER)
Fourth Official: Riem Hussein (GER)
Referee Observer: Snježana Fočić (CRO)

Bayern München – FC Barcelona
Referee: Jana Adamkova (CZE)
Assistant Referee 1: Lucie Ratajova (CZE)
Assistant Referee 2: Chrysoula Kourompylia (GRE)
Fourth Official: Ivana Martinčić (CRO)
Referee Observer: Caroline De Boeck (BEL)

UEFA VAR training in full swing

UEFA is continuing its intensive training courses for video assistant referees (VAR). Another group of European match officials has undertaken three days of work in Nyon – with UEFA aiming to have more VARs ready for assignments by this summer. The course, the latest in a series that began last autumn, featured 22 FIFA first and second category referees – two each from countries where the VAR system is already in operation. They were given expert guidance, and offered worthwhile feedback themselves, in theoretical and practical sessions led by UEFA Referees Committee chairman Roberto Rosetti, deputy chairman Hugh Dallas and UEFA refereeing officers Vlado Sajn and Marc Batta. 

The VAR system, incorporated into the Laws of the Game last year, sees a video assistant referee review decisions made by the referee in certain key match situations with the use of video footage and a headset for communication. The system was introduced by UEFA for the start of the UEFA Champions League knockout phase in February. A VAR team – a video assistant referee, an assistant video assistant referee and two video operators – has been located at each stadium to support the referee and help the match official take correct decisions. The team constantly checks for clear and obvious errors related to the following four match-changing situations: goals, penalty decisions, direct red card incidents and mistaken identity. 

In addition to the UEFA Champions League, VAR will be deployed at next month’s UEFA Europa League final in Baku, the UEFA Nations League Finals in Portugal in June, and the UEFA European Under-21 Championship final tournament in Italy in the same month. It will then be deployed at the 2019 UEFA Super Cup, and UEFA plans to subsequently extend the use of VAR to the UEFA EURO 2020 final tournament, as well as in the 2020/21 UEFA Europa League from the group stage onwards. “The real goal of the course,” said Rosetti, “has been to increase the number of VARs available for UEFA competitions. This season, we started with the UEFA Champions League knockout phase – but next season, for example, we will start from the Champions League playoff stage and continue through the group stage and knockout phase. So we would certainly require a larger number of VARs.” 

The Nyon course has given UEFA an ideal opportunity to test VARs in view of the forthcoming UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals. “The referees here for this course are all FIFA referees,” Rosetti explained. “We are in constant contact with VAR project leaders in countries where the system is in place, and they recommend the best VARs in their countries. For us, the under-21 finals are very important,” Rosetti added. “We will use nine selected referees who are already in our VAR project, and we will also use a pool of VARs from countries where the project is also in operation. The best VARs from this course will be appointed immediately for our tournament.” Rosetti emphasised that the VAR system was providing crucial help to referees in their decision-making. “We are trying to do our best for football,” he said, “by preventing clear and obvious [refereeing] mistakes.” 

Source: UEFA

CAF referees pre-selected for Africa Cup of Nations 2019

CAF selected 27 referees and 29 assistant referees for a preparatory course scheduled for 28 April to 5 May 2019 in Rabat, Morocco, as part of the build-up to the Africa Cup of Nations Egypt 2019. The selected match officials, representing 33 Member Associations, will take part in the intensive eight-day training camp, to decide on the match officials for the final tournament scheduled for 21 June to 19 July in the Egyptian cities of Alexandria, Cairo, Ismailia and Suez. Whilst in Rabat, the officials will undergo medical and physical test besides theoretical and practical sessions under the supervision of experienced CAF Instructors. Also to be discussed are the amendments to the Laws of the Game, which takes effect 1 Jun 2019, and will be implemented during the tournament. A blend of youth and experience, Egypt and Tunisia have the biggest number of representatives – five (5), consisting of three referees and two assistant referees. (Source: CAF)

Referees

1. Mustapha Ghorbal (ALG) 

2. Helder Martins (ANG)

3. Joshua Bondo (BOT)

4. Pacifique Ndabihawenimana (BDI)

5. Alioum Alioum (CMR)

6. Ghead Grisha (EGY, photo)

7. Amin Omar (EGY)

8. Mahmoud Zakaria (EGY)

9. Bamlak Tessema (ETH)

10. Eric Otogo Castane (GAB)

11. Bakary Gassama (GAM)

12. Daniel Laryea (GHA)

13. Peter Waweru (KEN)

14. Mahamadou Keita (MLI)

15. Redouane Jiyed (MAR)

16. Noureddine El-Jaafari (MAR)

17. Jackson Pavaza (NAM)

18. Jean Ngambo (COD)

19. Louis Hakizimana (RWA)

20. Maguette N’Diaye (SEN)

21. Bernard Camille (SEY)

22. El-Fadil Mohamed (SDN)

23. Victor Gomes (RSA)

24. Sadok Selmi (TUN)

25. Youssef Essrayri (TUN)

26. Haithem Guirat (TUN)

27. Janny Sikazwe (ZAM)

Assistant Referees

1. Mokrane Gourari (ALG)

2. Abdelhak Etchiali (ALG)

3. Jerson Dos Santos (ANG)

4. Seydou Tiama (BFA)

5. Elvis Noupue (CMR)

6. Evarist Menkouande (CMR)

7. Issa Yaya (CHA)

8. Soulaimane Almadine (COM)

9. Tahssen Abo El Sadat (EGY)

10. Mahmoud Ahmed (EGY)

11. Berhe Tesfagiorghis (ERI)

12. Samuel Temesgin (ETH)

13. Sidibe Sidiki (GUI)

14. Gilbert Cheruiyot (KEN)

15. Souru Phatsoane (LES)

16. Attia Amsaaed (LBY)

17. Lionel Andrianantenaina (MAD)

18. Azgaou Lahcen (MAR)

19. Arsenio Marengula (MOZ)

20. Mahamadou Yahaya (NIG)

21. Baba Adel (NGA)

22. Oliver Safari (COD)

23. El Hadji Samba (SEN)

24. Djibril Camara (SEN)

25. Zakhele Siwela (RSA)

26. Mohammed Ibrahim (SDN)

27. Waleed Ahmed (SDN)

28. Yamen Mellouchi (TUN)

29. Anouar Hmila (TUN)

UEFA Europa League – Quarter-finals (Second Leg)

18 April 2019

SSC Napoli – Arsenal FC
Referee: Ovidiu Hațegan (ROU, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Octavian Șovre (ROU)
Assistant Referee 2: Sebastian Gheorghe (ROU)
Fourth Official: Radu Ghinguleac (ROU)
Additional AR 1: Radu Petrescu (ROU)
Additional AR 2: Sebastian Colțescu (ROU)
Referee Observer: Markus Nobs (SUI)

Valencia – Villarreal
Referee: William Collum (SCO)
Assistant Referee 1: David McGeachie (SCO)
Assistant Referee 2: Francis Connor (SCO)
Fourth Official: Graeme Stewart (SCO)
Additional AR 1: Robert Madden (SCO)
Additional AR 2: Nicolas Walsh (SCO)
Referee Observer: Vítor Melo Pereira (POR)

Eintracht Frankfurt – SL Benfica
Referee: Daniele Orsato (ITA)
Assistant Referee 1: Lorenzo Manganelli (ITA)
Assistant Referee 2: Alessandro Costanzo (ITA)
Fourth Official: Fabiano Preti (ITA)
Additional AR 1: Marco Di Bello (ITA)
Additional AR 2: Daniele Doveri (ITA)
Referee Observer: Hans Reijgwart (NED)

Chelsea FC – Slavia Praha
Referee: Damir Skomina (SVN)
Assistant Referee 1: Jure Praprotnik (SVN)
Assistant Referee 2: Robert Vukan (SVN)
Fourth Official: Tomaž Klančnik (SVN)
Additional AR 1: Slavko Vinčič (SVN)
Additional AR 2: Matej Jug (SVN)
Referee Observer: Manuel Díaz Vega (ESP)

UEFA Champions League – Quarter-finals (Second Leg)

16-17 April 2019

FC Barcelona – Manchester United
Referee: Felix Brych (GER, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Mark Borsch (GER)
Assistant Referee 2: Stefan Lupp (GER)
Fourth Official: Pavel Královec (CZE)
VAR: Bastian Dankert (GER)
AVAR: Marco Fritz (GER)
Referee Observer: Patrick Kelly (IRL)

Juventus – AFC Ajax
Referee: Clement Turpin (FRA)
Assistant Referee 1: Nicolas Danos (FRA)
Assistant Referee 2: Cyril Gringore (FRA)
Fourth Official: Benoît Bastien (FRA)
VAR: Nicolas Rainville (FRA)
AVAR: François Letexier (FRA)
Referee Observer: Nikolai Levnikov (RUS)

Manchester City – Tottenham Hotspur
Referee: Cüneyt Çakır (TUR)
Assistant Referee 1: Bahattin Duran (TUR)
Assistant Referee 2: Tarık Ongun (TUR)
Fourth Official: Artur Soares Dias (POR)
VAR: Massimiliano Irrati (ITA)
AVAR: Marco Guida (ITA)
Referee Observer: Domenico Messina (ITA)

FC Porto – Liverpool
Referee: Danny Makkelie (NED)
Assistant Referee 1: Mario Diks (NED)
Assistant Referee 2: Hessel Steegstra (NED)
Fourth Official: Anastasios Sidiropoulos (GRE)
VAR: Pol van Boekel (NED)
AVAR: Jochem Kamphuis (NED)
Referee Observer: Alain Hamer (LUX)

CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores – Group Stage (Matchday 5)

23-25 April 2019

Libertad – Gremio
Referee: Alexis Herrera (VEN, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Jorge Urrego (VEN)
Assistant Referee 2: Tulio Moreno (VEN)
Fourth Official: Marlon Escalante (VEN)
Referee Assessor: Wilson Lamouroux (COL)

Universidad Concepcion – Olimpia
Referee: Wilmar Roldan (COL)
Assistant Referee 1: Alexander Leon (COL)
Assistant Referee 2: Dionisio Ruiz (COL)
Fourth Official: Gustavo Murillo (COL)
Referee Assessor: Juan Lugones (BOL)

Huracan – Emelec
Referee: Arnando Samaniego (PAR)
Assistant Referee 1: Milciades Saldivar (PAR)
Assistant Referee 2: Roberto Canete (PAR)
Fourth Official: Ulises Mereles (PAR)
Referee Assessor: Roberto Silvera (URU)

Godoy Cruz – Sporting Cristal
Referee: Jesus Valenzuela (VEN)
Assistant Referee 1: Carlos Lopez (VEN)
Assistant Referee 2: Franchescoly Chacon (VEN)
Fourth Official: Angel Arteaga (VEN)
Referee Assessor: Enrique Caceres (PAR)

Atletico Mineiro – Nacional
Referee: Fernando Rapallini (ARG)
Assistant Referee 1: Diego Bonfa (ARG)
Assistant Referee 2: Gabriel Chade (ARG)
Fourth Official: Silvio Trucco (ARG)
Referee Assessor: Patricio Polic (CHI)

Deportivo Lara – Cruzeiro
Referee: Gery Vargas (BOL)
Assistant Referee 1: Jose Antelo (BOL)
Assistant Referee 2: Edwar Saavedra (BOL)
Fourth Official: Ivo Mendez (BOL)
Referee Assessor: Candelario Andarcia (VEN)

Palestino – River Plate
Referee: Andres Rojas (COL)
Assistant Referee 1: Wilmar Navarro (COL)
Assistant Referee 2: Alexander Guzman (COL)
Fourth Official: Carlos Herrera (COL)
Referee Assessor: Martin Vazquez (URU)

Jorge Wilstermann – Athletic Paranaense
Referee: Mario Diaz de Vivar (PAR)
Assistant Referee 1: Eduardo Cardozo (PAR)
Assistant Referee 2: Dario Gaona (PAR)
Fourth Official: Derlis Lopez (PAR)
Referee Assessor: Jorge Jaimes (PER)

Rosario Central – Universidad Católica
Referee: Esteban Ostojich (URU)
Assistant Referee 1: Nicolas Taran (URU)
Assistant Referee 2: Miguel Nievas (URU)
Fourth Official: Christian Ferreyra (URU)
Referee Assessor: Cesar Escano (PER)

Deportes Tolima – Boca Juniors
Referee: Victor Carrillo (PER)
Assistant Referee 1: Jonny Bossio (PER)
Assistant Referee 2: Victor Raez (PER)
Fourth Official: Miguel Santivanez (PER)
Referee Assessor: Mauricio Espinoza (URU)

Alianza Lima – Internacional
Referee: Raul Orosco (BOL)
Assistant Referee 1: Juan Montano (BOL)
Assistant Referee 2: Ariel Guizada (BOL)
Fourth Official: Luis Yrusta (BOL)
Referee Assessor: Carlos Herrera (ECU)

San Jose – Penarol
Referee: German Delfino (ARG)
Assistant Referee 1: Ezequiel Brailovsky (ARG)
Assistant Referee 2: Cristian Navarro (ARG)
Fourth Official: Fernando Echenique (ARG)
Referee Assessor: Manuel Bernal (PAR)

LDU Quito – Flamengo
Referee: Nestor Pitana (ARG)
Assistant Referee 1: Hernan Maidana (ARG)
Assistant Referee 2: Juan Belatti (ARG)
Fourth Official: Fernando Espinoza (ARG)
Referee Assessor: Jorge Osorio (CHI)

Zamora – Cerro Porteno
Referee: Guillermo Guerrero (ECU)
Assistant Referee 1: Christian Lescano (ECU)
Assistant Referee 2: Luis Vera (ECU)
Fourth Official: Roddy Zambrano (ECU)
Referee Assessor: Miguel Buitrago (VEN)

Junior – San Lorenzo
Referee: Leodan Gonzalez (URU)
Assistant Referee 1: Richard Trinidad (URU)
Assistant Referee 2: Martin Soppi (URU)
Fourth Official: Andres Matonte (URU)
Referee Assessor: Jose Carpio (ECU)

Melgar – Palmeiras
Referee: Carlos Orbe (ECU)
Assistant Referee 1: Byron Romero (ECU)
Assistant Referee 2: Ricardo Baren (ECU)
Fourth Official: Franklin Congo (ECU)
Referee Assessor: Joel Ruiz (PAR)

CONMEBOL Copa Sudamericana – First Round (Second Leg, III)

16-18 April 2019

Zulia – Nacional Potosi
Referee: Juan Benitez (PAR, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Eduardo Cardozo (PAR)
Assistant Referee 2: Carlos Caceres (PAR)
Fourth Official: Ulises Mereles (PAR)
Referee Assessor: Jose Buitrago (COL)

La Equidad – Independiente
Referee: Angel Arteaga (VEN)
Assistant Referee 1: Lubin Torrealba (VEN)
Assistant Referee 2: Alberto Ponte (VEN)
Fourth Official: Orlando Bracamonte (VEN)
Referee Assessor: Cesar Escano (PER)

Colon – Deportivo Municipal
Referee: Luis Quiroz (ECU)
Assistant Referee 1: Edwin Bravo (ECU)
Assistant Referee 2: Flavio Nall (ECU)
Fourth Official: Guillermo Guerrero (ECU)
Referee Assessor: Carlos Pastorino (URU)

Independiente del Valle – Union
Referee: Cristian Garay (CHI)
Assistant Referee 1: Jose Retamal (CHI)
Assistant Referee 2: Alejandro Molina (CHI)
Fourth Official: Felipe Gonzalez (CHI)
Referee Assessor: Freddy Arellanos (PER)

Oriente Petrolero – Rio Negro
Referee: Joel Alarcon (PER)
Assistant Referee 1: Michael Orue (PER)
Assistant Referee 2: Stephen Atoche (PER)
Fourth Official: Luis Garay (PER)
Referee Assessor: Claudio Puga (CHI)

Mushuc Runa – Union Espanola
Referee: Ivo Mendez (BOL)
Assistant Referee 1: Ariel Guizada (BOL)
Assistant Referee 2: Reluy Vallejos (BOL)
Fourth Official: Juan Garcia (BOL)
Referee Assessor: Ubaldo Aquino (PAR)

Sport Huancayo – Montevideo Wanderers
Referee: Nicolas Gallo (COL)
Assistant Referee 1: Sebastian Vela (COL)
Assistant Referee 2: John Gallego (COL)
Fourth Official: Carlo Herrera (COL)
Referee Assessor: Juan Corozo (ECU)

Former World Cup Final referee Rizzoli offered contract in China

Italian referee designator Nicola Rizzoli has reportedly been offered a lucrative deal to work in China. Il Sole 24 Ore writes that Rizzoli will earn a $1 million (€887,000) salary if he makes the move, although it is not yet clear which role he would take up in China. 

After refereeing the World Cup final in 2014, the 47-year-old retired from officiating in the summer of 2017 to become Serie A’s designator of referees. However, he was criticized for his handling of perceived refereeing errors in Juventus-Milan and Lazio-Sassuolo last weekend. Rizzoli currently receives €200,000 a year for his role with Serie A. 

Source: Football Italia

Steinhaus: Europe's leading female referee in a male-dominated world

Like a modern-day Samson, Bundesliga referee Bibiana Steinhaus draws strength from the length of her hair. The pioneering 40-year-old, the first woman in Europe to take regular charge of top-tier men's matches, describes how abandoning her short-cropped hairstyle was the moment she unburdened herself of the desire to fit in with the male-dominated norm.

"It was a recognition that you can never hide," she tells Telegraph Sport. Having resisted the urge to let her hair grow for more than a decade as she progressed through the German league pyramid, she declared months before her Bundesliga debut: "You know what, love me, hate me, you do whatever". She says: "You must recognise that, no matter what you do, you cannot hide. Your skin colour, your whatever, stands out. The moment you recognise it. The moment you are fine with it, you find your own middle, and you think, 'you know what, this is what it is'. This is the moment where is really lifts you up to the next level." Steinhaus insists her progression to marshalling the elite has been "smooth". The first time she had officiated a Bayern Munich game in 2017, Franck Ribéry, while putting the ball on the ground to prepare to take a free‑kick, bent over and undid her laces. Some questioned whether he would have pulled the same prank on a male referee. However, Steinhaus, is confident the players have completely accepted her authority. It is the wider world, she says, that may perceive her as a novelty. "When you have a role model, and you put this person in place, everybody is looking. Is it going to work? How is it going to work? What are the issues? People you work with, it doesn't make a difference. In the dressing room, on the field, with all the players, and for me, being around almost 20 years, it doesn't make a difference. However, for the media, for the outside world, it's a big thing for one day, two, then it's old news."

Steinhaus is dating the former Premier League referee Howard Webb and says the stage is now set to see women taking regular charge in England's elite game. Twenty years ago Gordon Strachan criticised "PC decisions about promoting ladies" as he questioned the performance of Wendy Toms as an assistant to Steve Dunn, and still the Premier League is yet to select a woman to take charge of a game. For Steinhaus, the talent is there for the picking. "I think you have a lot of girls, women who perform really well. I'm sure if they are given the opportunities which have been given to me, I'm 100 per cent sure that they will go their way. I won't put a date on it because so many circumstances play, but I think if you have the people able to do the job, and if you have people willing and able to support diversity in our game, giving opportunities, being aware of them and giving them, they will be successful. I'm convinced that even if you take a shirt in a larger size, you will grow into it. You will grow." The referee still works part-time as a police officer, a chief inspector in Langenhagen, in her hometown in Lower Saxony. "I cannot handle it full time," she says of her policing work. "I know we have a lot of professional referees and if I see how much time I invest it is pretty much a full-time job but on other hand personally, I like… I love my police job, this is why I decided to become a police officer because I really like what I am doing there. It is pretty much like refereeing – somebody else did the laws but you have to take care that everybody is behaving according to them."

Steinhaus, who was a speaker at Wembley last week for UEFA's Equal Game conference, said a "passion for the sport" had driven her to refereeing at the highest level. "I played a few years, not very successful, therefore I changed the spot," she said. "No-matter where you find your role, as long as you have the passion, the drive, you want to make it the best, this sport is so beautiful, you have plenty of possibilities to find your own spot. I like to promote women’s refereeing. It is not a question of what gender you are. It is a question of if you can fulfil the role and the expectations people have of you. I am not really a fan of this ‘women’s’ and ‘men’s’ – it comes down to performance. Whatever background you have if you perform right and treat people right, they treat you in same way so that is the first thing – performance." It is "performance", she says, which will decide how soon a woman takes charge of a Champions League final. Footballers are getting faster, referees are getting fitter, and the competition gets stiffer by the year, she says - but Steinhaus is confident it will happen. "I'm looking for the younger generation who loves the diversity of the sport and want to grow the sport itself," she adds. "This is my focus. It has been quite smooth. The players want to be treated in a fair manner. They want to be respected, they want to speak to you, they want to communicate, and if you do that in a normal way, in a decent way, they accept."

Source: The Telegraph

Romanian AR proposes to fellow AR on pitch before kick-off

The Romanian fourth division clash between CA Oradea and CS Diosig got off to an unorthodox start at the weekend when two of the match officials got engaged to one another. 

Assistant referee Marius Matica, 22, sprang a surprise proposal on girlfriend Gyorgi Duma, 20, as the two officials lined up for the pre-match formalities. The decision went to VAR but thankfully the call was eventually accepted by a shocked Duma, as both sets of players and the fans in the stand applauded. According to local reports, the couple have been together for almost three years and both work as assistant referees in Bihor, north-western Romania. "I did not expect it", Gyorgi told Bihor Online. "It was an extraordinarily pleasant surprise". How thoroughly lovely. 

Source: ESPN

UEFA Europa League – Quarter-finals (First Leg)

11 April 2019

Arsenal FC – SSC Napoli
Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (ESP, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Raul Cabanero Martinez (ESP)
Assistant Referee 2: Inigo Prieto Lopez (ESP)
Fourth Official: Diego Barbero Sevilla (ESP)
Additional AR 1: Xavier Estrada Fernandez (ESP)
Additional AR 2: Jose Munuera Montero (ESP)
Referee Observer: Stefan Messner (AUT)

Villarreal – Valencia
Referee: Michael Oliver (ENG)
Assistant Referee 1: Stuart Burt (ENG)
Assistant Referee 2: Simon Bennett (ENG)
Fourth Official: Constantine Hatzidakis (ENG)
Additional AR 1: Craig Pawson (ENG)
Additional AR 2: Andre Marriner (ENG)
Referee Observer: Alexandru Deaconu (ROU)

SL Benfica – Eintracht Frankfurt
Referee: Anthony Taylor (ENG)
Assistant Referee 1: Gary Beswick (ENG)
Assistant Referee 2: Adam Nunn (ENG)
Fourth Official: Lee Betts (ENG)
Additional AR 1: Stuart Attwell (ENG)
Additional AR 2: Martin Atkinson (ENG)
Referee Observer: Terje Hauge (NOR)

Slavia Praha – Chelsea FC
Referee: Felix Zwayer (GER)
Assistant Referee 1: Thorsten Schiffner (GER)
Assistant Referee 2: Marco Achmüller (GER)
Fourth Official: Eduard Beitinger (GER)
Additional AR 1: Daniel Siebert (GER)
Additional AR 2: Sascha Stegemann (GER)
Referee Observer: Haim Jakov (ISR)

Concacaf Champions League – Semi-finals (Second Leg)

10-11 April 2019

Santos Laguna – Tigres UANL
Referee: Marco Ortiz (MEX, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Miguel Paredes (MEX)
Assistant Referee 2: Jose Martinez (MEX)
Fourth Official: Ivan Barton (SLV)
Referee Assessor: Omario Contreras (BLZ)

Sporting Kansas City – CF Monterrey
Referee: Joel Aguilar (SLV)
Assistant Referee 1: Juan Zumba (SLV)
Assistant Referee 2: Juan Mora (CRC)
Fourth Official: Hector Martinez (HON)

UEFA U-17 Euro 2019

Ireland, 3-19 May 2019

Referees
1. Jorgen Burchardt (DEN, 1982)
2. Manfredas Lukjančukas (LTU, 1991)
3. Trustin Farrugia Cann (MLT, 1985)
4. Espen Eskas (NOR, 1988)
5. Krzysztof Jakubik (POL, 1983, photo)
6. Donald Robertson (SCO, 1987)
7. Rade Obrenović (SVN, 1990)
8. Mykola Balakin (UKR, 1989)

Assistant Referees
1. Ilir Tartaraj (ALB, 1987)
2. Yauheni Ramanau (BLR, 1984)
3. Deniz Sokolov (BUL, 1988)
4. Jan Hermansen (FRO, 1982)
5. Riku Vihreävuori (FIN, 1985)
6. Gylfi Sigurdsson (ISL, 1987)
7. Fatlum Berisha (KVX, 1981)
8. Sergey Vassyutin (KAZ, 1986)
9. Raimonds Tatriks (LVA, 1984)
10. Joaquim Da Silva (LUX, 1989)
11. Frantisek Ferenc (SVK, 1986)
12. Lewiss Edwards (WAL, 1990)

Fourth Officials
1. Kaarlo Hämäläinen (FIN, 1993)
2. Petri Viljanen (FIN, 1987)
3. Paul McLaughlin (IRL, 1979)
4. Iwan Griffith (WAL, 1988)

Referee Observers
1. Marc Batta (FRA)
2. Bo Karlsson (SWE)
3. Manuel Lopez Fernandez (ESP)
4. Dejan Filipović (SRB)
5. Gerard Perry (IRL)
6. Stavros Tritsonis (GRE)

CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores – Group Stage (Matchday 4)

9-11 April 2019

Olimpia – Godoy Cruz
Referee: Anderson Daronco (BRA, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Alessandro Rocha (BRA)
Assistant Referee 2: Bruno Boschilia (BRA)
Fourth Official: Ricardo Marques (BRA)
Referee Assessor: Martin Vazquez (URU)

Atletico Paranaense – Deportes Tolima
Referee: Jesus Valenzuela (VEN)
Assistant Referee 1: Luis Murillo (VEN)
Assistant Referee 2: Carlos Lopez (VEN)
Fourth Official: Jose Argote (VEN)
Referee Assessor: Manuel Bernal (PAR)

Internacional – Palestino
Referee: Carlos Orbe (ECU)
Assistant Referee 1: Byron Romero (ECU)
Assistant Referee 2: Edwin Bravo (ECU)
Fourth Official: Franklin Congo (ECU)
Referee Assessor: Joel Ruiz (PAR)

San Lorenzo – Melgar
Referee: Eber Aquino (PAR)
Assistant Referee 1: Rodney Aquino (PAR)
Assistant Referee 2: Milciades Saldivar (PAR)
Fourth Official: Derlis Lopez (PAR)
Referee Assessor: Francisco Mondria (CHI)

Peñarol – LDU Quito
Referee: Alexis Herrera (VEN)
Assistant Referee 1: Jorge Urrego (VEN)
Assistant Referee 2: Tulio Moreno (VEN)
Fourth Official: Marlon Escalante (VEN)
Referee Assessor: Angel Sanchez (ARG)

Sporting Cristal – Universidad Concepción
Referee: Leodan Gonzalez (URU)
Assistant Referee 1: Richard Trinidad (URU)
Assistant Referee 2: Miguel Nievas (URU)
Fourth Official: Andres Matonte (URU)
Referee Assessor: Ubaldo Aquino (PAR)

Cruzeiro – Huracan
Referee: Julio Bascunan (CHI)
Assistant Referee 1: Alejandro Molina (CHI)
Assistant Referee 2: Claudio Urrutia (CHI)
Fourth Official: Eduardo Gamboa (CHI)
Referee Assessor: Ana Perez (PER)

Nacional – Zamora
Referee: Fernando Espinoza (ARG)
Assistant Referee 1: Maximiliano Del Yesso (ARG)
Assistant Referee 2: Pablo Gonzalez (ARG)
Fourth Official: German Delfino (ARG)
Referee Assessor: Jorge Osorio (CHI)

Cerro Porteño – Atlético Mineiro
Referee: Wilmar Roldan (COL)
Assistant Referee 1: Alexander Guzman (COL)
Assistant Referee 2: Dionisio Ruiz (COL)
Fourth Official: Bismark Santiago (COL)
Referee Assessor: Rodolfo Otero (ARG)

Gremio – Rosario Central
Referee: Andres Rojas (COL)
Assistant Referee 1: Wilmar Navarro (COL)
Assistant Referee 2: Alexander Leon (COL)
Fourth Official: Gustavo Murillo (COL)
Referee Assessor: Dario Ubriaco (URU)

Palmeiras – Junior
Referee: Roberto Tobar (CHI)
Assistant Referee 1: Raul Orellana (CHI)
Assistant Referee 2: Edson Cisternas (CHI)
Fourth Official: Cristian Garay (CHI)
Referee Assessor: Mauricio Espinosa (URU)

Universidad Catolica – Libertad
Referee: Gery Vargas (BOL)
Assistant Referee 1: Jose Antelo (BOL)
Assistant Referee 2: Edwar Saavedra (BOL)
Fourth Official: Raul Orosco (BOL)
Referee Assessor: Jose Carpio (ECU)

Boca Juniors – Jorge Wilstermann
Referee: Diego Haro (PER)
Assistant Referee 1: Coty Carrera (PER)
Assistant Referee 2: Jesus Sanchez (PER)
Fourth Official: Kevin Ortega (PER)
Referee Assessor: Juan Cardellino (URU)

River Plate – Alianza Lima
Referee: Mario Diaz de Vivar (PAR)
Assistant Referee 1: Eduardo Cardozo (PAR)
Assistant Referee 2: Dario Gaona (PAR)
Fourth Official: Arnaldo Samaniego (PAR)
Referee Assessor: Jose Buitrago (COL)

Flamengo – San Jose
Referee: Piero Maza (CHI)
Assistant Referee 1: Christian Schiemann (CHI)
Assistant Referee 2: Claudio Rios (CHI)
Fourth Official: Cesar Deischler (CHI)
Referee Assessor: Ricardo Casas (ARG)

Emelec – Deportivo Lara
Referee: Esteban Ostojich (URU)
Assistant Referee 1: Nicolas Taran (URU)
Assistant Referee 2: Martin Soppi (URU)
Fourth Official: Christian Ferreyra (URU)
Referee Assessor: Wilson Lamouroux (COL)

UEFA Champions League – Quarter-finals (First Leg)

9-10 April 2019

Liverpool – FC Porto
Referee: Antonio Mateu Lahoz (ESP, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Pau Cebrián Devís (ESP)
Assistant Referee 2: Roberto Díaz Pérez (ESP)
Fourth Official: Ovidiu Hațegan (ROU)
VAR: Jesús Gil Manzano (ESP)
AVAR: José Sánchez Martínez (ESP)
Referee Observer: Eugen Strigel (GER)

Tottenham Hotspur – Manchester City
Referee: Björn Kuipers (NED)
Assistant Referee 1: Sander van Roekel (NED)
Assistant Referee 2: Erwin Zeinstra (NED)
Fourth Official: William Collum (SCO)
VAR: Danny Makkelie (NED)
AVAR: Pol van Boekel (NED)
Referee Observer: Jørn West Larsen (DEN)

AFC Ajax – Juventus
Referee: Carlos Del Cerro Grande (ESP)
Assistant Referee 1: Juan Yuste Jiménez (ESP)
Assistant Referee 2: Roberto Alonso Fernández (ESP)
Fourth Official: Anastásios Sidirópoulos (GRE)
VAR: Alejandro Hernández Hernández (ESP)
AVAR: Juan Martínez Munuera (ESP)
Referee Observer: Marc Batta (FRA)

Manchester United – FC Barcelona
Referee: Gianluca Rocchi (ITA)
Assistant Referee 1: Filippo Meli (ITA)
Assistant Referee 2: Matteo Passeri (ITA)
Fourth Official: Daniele Orsato (ITA)
VAR: Massimiliano Irrati (ITA)
AVAR: Marco Guida (ITA)
Referee Observer: Peter Fröjdfeldt (SWE)

CAF Champions League – Quarter-finals

First Leg, 6 April 2019

CS Constantinois – ES Tunis
Referee: Ghead Grisha (EGY, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Waleed Aḥmed (SDN)
Assistant Referee 2: Abo El Sadat (EGY)

Simba SC – TP Mazembe
Referee: Muṣṭafa Ghorbal (ALG)
Assistant Referee 1: Maḥmoud Regal (EGY)
Assistant Referee 2: Mokrane Gourari (ALG)

Mamelodi Sundowns – Al Ahly
Referee: Maguette Ndiaye (SEN)
Assistant Referee 1: Elvis Noupue (CMR)
Assistant Referee 2: Seydou Tiama (BFA)

Horoya AC – Wydad AC
Referee: Eric Otogo Castane (GAB)
Assistant Referee 1: Issa Yaya (CHA)
Assistant Referee 2: Moussounda Montel (GAB)

Second Leg, 13 April 2019

Al Ahly – Mamelodi Sundowns
Referee: Bakary Gassama (GMB)
Assistant Referee 1: Djibril Camara (SEN)
Assistant Referee 2: El Hadji Samba (SEN)

TP Mazembe – Simba SC
Referee: Bamlak Tessema (ETH)
Assistant Referee 1: Temesgin Atango (ETH)
Assistant Referee 2: Gilbert Cheruiyot (KEN)

Wydad AC – Horoya AC
Referee: Janny Sikazwe (ZAM)
Assistant Referee 1: Berhe O'Michael (ERI)
Assistant Referee 2: Romeo Kasengele (ZAM)

ES Tunis – CS Constantinois
Referee: Noureddine El-Jaafari (MAR)
Assistant Referee 1: Hicham Abbou (MAR)
Assistant Referee 2: Yahya Nouali (MAR)

OFC Champions League – Quarter-finals (First Leg)

6-7 April 2019

Auckland City FC – Lae City Dwellers
Referee: Mederic Lacour (NCL, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Bertrand Brial (NCL)
Assistant Referee 2: Jeremy Garae (VAN)
Fourth Official: Joel Hopken (VAN)

Hienghene Sport – Ba FC
Referee: Campbell-Kirk Waugh (NZL)
Assistant Referee 1: Isaac Trevis (NZL)
Assistant Referee 2: Sione Teu (TGA)
Fourth Official: George Time (SOL)

Team Wellington – Henderson Eels
Referee: Norbert Hauata (TAH)
Assistant Referee 1: Philippe Revel (TAH)
Assistant Referee 2: Avinesh Narayan (FIJ)
Fourth Official: David Yareboinen (PNG)

Central Sport – AS Magenta
Referee: Matthew Conger (NZL)
Assistant Referee 1: Gareth Sheehan (NZL)
Assistant Referee 2: Mark Rule (NZL)
Fourth Official: Salesh Chand (FIJ)

Referee preparations for France 2019

Last week, a preparatory FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 refereeing seminar was hosted in Doha for the second time this year. Ninety elite FIFA match officials, representing all six confederations, took another important step in the preparations leading up to the big event in France. The Qatar Amateur League organised a special tournament in conjunction with the seminar that provided match officials with another crucially important opportunity to officiate in live competitive matches with Video Assistant Referee (VAR) support. This tournament and seminar was another essential step on the road to France. 

“We have only two more months to get ready for the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019,” said Kari Seitz, FIFA Senior Refereeing Manager and head of the refereeing project for the Women’s World Cup. “Live matches, like the ones in this new Qatar Amateur Cup, give match officials greatly needed experience of refereeing with the help of VAR. We are very grateful to the Qatar Football Association for their valued support.” The practical training with players, theoretical sessions and fitness activities during the seminar were specifically designed to prepare match officials for the ever-increasing demands of the modern game. “We’ve had a successful preparation week here in Doha,” said Carol Anne Chenard, an elite referee from Canada who also officiated at the 2011 and 2015 Women’s World Cups. “Everything was perfect; the conditions were great; the venues were amazing; we could not have asked for a better preparation. The whole team, including the VARs and all of the staff, did a great job. We are completely focused on the final steps leading up to our performance in France.” The state-of-the-art Aspire Academy dome that hosted practical training in the morning and the Qatar Amateur Cup matches in the evening provided the ideal conditions for this successful event, as did the perfect weather and beautifully manicured outdoor pitch for assistant referee and fitness training. “We prepare for the World Cup almost exactly like a national football team,” emphasised Seitz. “Just like players, our match officials focus on our tactical approach, uniformity, consistency, fair play and safety.” 

Pierluigi Collina, the chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, and Massimo Busacca, the FIFA Director of Refereeing, both attended the seminar. They were delighted with the hard work and dedication of the match officials, and confirmed that they would continue to provide their full support. They stated that the priorities of match officials at the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 would be the same as at every other tournament: helping to ensure the safety of each player, upholding The IFAB Laws of the Game and protecting the integrity of each match. Seitz added: “We are definitely on the right track to meet or even exceed the demands of the game in France. The teamwork between match officials on the pitch and VARs in the video operations room has improved to an excellent level within a short time. As of today, I would say that we have reached the 90 per cent mark of the preparation phase. The remaining ten per cent will be achieved in Paris during our customary pre-competition seminar. We are happy with our progress and confident that the extensive preparations will lead to a reduction of mistakes in France as compared to previous World Cups.” From the much-anticipated whistle signalling the kick-off of the opening match between France and Korea Republic at the iconic Parc des Princes in Paris to the final whistle of the last game, referees, assistant referees and VARs are sure to demonstrate that the FIFA Referees Committee has placed its trust in the right team. 

Source: FIFA

Concacaf Champions League – Semi-finals (First Leg)

3-4 April 2019

Tigres UANL – Santos Laguna
Referee: Ismail Elfath (USA, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Corey Parker (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: Kyle Atkins (USA)
Fourth Official: Armando Villarreal (USA)

CF Monterrey – Sporting Kansas City
Referee: Mario Escobar (GUA)
Assistant Referee 1: Joseph Bertrand (TRI)
Assistant Referee 2: Humberto Panjoj (GUA)
Fourth Official: Daneon Parchment (JAM)

UEFA Youth League – Quarter-finals

2-3 April 2019

FC Barcelona – Olympique Lyonnais
Referee: Dennis Higler (NED, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Johan Balder (NED)
Assistant Referee 2: Joost van Zuilen (NED)
Fourth Official: Rubén Ávalos Barrera (ESP)
Referee Observer: Lucílio Batista (POR)

FC Porto – FC Midtjylland
Referee: Andrew Dallas (SCO)
Assistant Referee 1: David Doig (SCO)
Assistant Referee 2: Paul O'Neill (SCO)
Fourth Official: David Oliveira (POR)
Referee Observer: Manuel Mejuto González (ESP)

Chelsea FC – GNK Dinamo
Referee: Radu Petrescu (ROU)
Assistant Referee 1: Radu Ghinguleac (ROU)
Assistant Referee 2: Mircea Grigoriu (ROU)
Fourth Official: John Busby (ENG)
Referee Observer: Stephen Lodge (ENG)

TSG Hoffenheim – Real Madrid
Referee: Nikola Dabanović (MNE)
Assistant Referee 1: Vladan Todorović (MNE)
Assistant Referee 2: Srdjan Jovanović (MNE)
Fourth Official: Patrick Alt (GER)
Referee Observer: Edgar Steinborn (GER)