Gringore ends his extraordinary career

A Champions League final, a World Cup and the last match at the Parc des Princes to end an extraordinary career in 2022. Cyril Gringore hangs up the flag and leaves the stadiums through the very large door. An end to the journey that reflects his great career.

Cyril Gringore, 50, has an exceptional CV in the world of refereeing and in French football. From the Seine-Maritime District and the Normandy League, he is a member of FC Rouen. He started in 1990 in Doudeville as… central referee. He officiated in the District, then in the League, before becoming Federal in 2000. It was there that he opted for the position of assistant referee in 2002. He refereed in National from 2002 to 2004, then in Ligue 2 from 2004 to 2006. He reached the highest national level in 2006, becoming federal referee 1. He compiled 17 seasons in a row in Ligue 1 and was awarded the UNFP Trophy for the best assistant referee in Ligue 1 in 2021 and 2022.

Gringore began his international career with a youth match, Bulgaria - England, in 2007. He officiated his first Champions League group stage match on 2 October 2012, the day of his 40th birthday, during Spartak Moscow – Celtic. In 2015 and 2017, Cyril Gringore took part in the FIFA U-17 World Cups in Chile and India, respectively. Cyril Gringore became part of the historic trio he has formed with Clement Turpin and Nicolas Danos since 2016. Together they officiated at Euro 2016, World Cup 2018, Euro 2021, Europa League Final 2021, Champions League Final 2022, Club World Cup 2022 and World Cup 2022. Cyril Gringore bid farewell to the elite as assistant referee on 28 November 2022 during the Paris St. Germain – Strasbourg match, along with his friends and colleagues Clement Turpin and Nicolas Danos. Big career for a huge official at the service of the game and ambassador of French sport around the world. We will retain the passion, rigor, and simplicity of Cyril Gringore. On behalf of the referees: thank you, Cyril!

Source: SAFE

Premio Campanati 2022: Orsato (ITA)

Daniele Orsato has been named the best referee of the World Cup in Qatar, winning Premio Internazionale Giulio Campanati. Italian Orsato refereed three games in Qatar, the opening match between the host country and Ecuador, Argentina - Mexico in the group stage and the semi-final Argentina - Croatia.

Premio Internazionale Giulio Campanati was established after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil in memory of former international referee, AIA chief and UEFA referee director Campanati, who had died in October 2011. It is organised by the association "Amici di Giulio Campanati" and the AIA section of Milano, being awarded to the best referee at the World Cups and Euros. Former Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli won the  award twice: in 2014 (World Cup in Brazil) and 2016 after the Euro played in France. The "foreign" winners of the award are the Argentine referee Nestor Pitana (World Cup 2018) and the Dutch Bjorn Kuipers, who was named the best referee of Euro 2020.

Source: Football Italia

Pele claimed referee "sent himself off" due to abuse for red carding him

Pele has tragically lost his life at the age of 82 after battling colon cancer and tributes have been pouring in for the Brazil legend, who was denoted as the best player ever. Daughter Kely Nascimento announced his death on social media, and it has caused widespread grief throughout the world. There is no denying the greatness of Pele, who is the only man to have won three World Cups and is arguably the best player of all time. However, from time to time there have been outrageous claims made over his career. One of them included a wild shout on Twitter where Pele wrote that a referee once sent himself off after giving him a red card - because the crowd gave him so much abuse.

Pele tweeted back in August 2018: "I once  got sent off in a game against Colombia. The decision was so unpopular with the crowd that the referee then sent himself off!" While it appears to be a bit unbelievable, a Spanish report from El Espectador seems to somewhat confirm that there is a degree of truth to the story. While referee Guillermo Velasquez did indeed leave the pitch, it appears that it was hardly because of Pele's own red card. Instead, the report insists that the referee sent Pele off for insulting the official's mother. It led to chaos with his team-mates attacking the referee with the crowd threatening to invade the pitch. The referee had to flee the scene and seek medical assistance, while Pele remained on the pitch - even going on to score twice in a 4-2 win. At full-time, the team was taken into custody instead of returning to their hotel. A police report had been filed by the referee, who had to point out the players that attacked him after they lined up against the wall. Pele was asked why he returned to the pitch despite being sent off and reportedly answered: "I was just answering the people's calling, who had paid to watch a show."

Source: Daily Star

FIFA referee instructor: Vietnam penalty was wrongly awarded

A Malaysian ex-FIFA referee and referee instructor said Vietnam should not have gotten the penalty in their AFF Cup match against Malaysia, though the red card for the defender was deserved.

Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh, a FIFA referee between 2000 until his retirement in 2011, said he carefully watched the video of the clash between Malaysian defender Azam Azmi and Vietnamese defender Doan Van Hau in the 59th minute of the match in Hanoi.Commenting on Malaysian television channel Astro Arena, he said he divided the situation into two phases: Hau's push that caused Azmi to fall and then the counter-attack by the latter. "When Azmi struck back, the ball was still rolling, and therefore the referee can give Vietnam a penalty according to the rules. But in my opinion, the first thing that needs to be considered is Hau's foul and [only] then Azmi's foul." If the referee thought Azmi had retaliated against Hau, the Malaysian defender deserved a red card, he said. "But the match should have continued with a free kick for Malaysia, not a penalty for Vietnam, because Van Hau pushed Azmi first. "The Malaysian defender struck back unnecessarily, but [it appears] referee Ryuji Sato had ignored Hau's foul."

Salleh, 56, broke into the AFC Elite group of Asia's top referees in 2008. He was on duty at the 2010 World Cup as support official and refereed several matches during the 2011 Asian Cup. After retiring from active refereeing, he worked as a FIFA referee instructor.

Sato has been a FIFA referee since 2009. He has refereed at the Asian Cup, the U-20 World Cup 2015, the FIFA Arab Cup 2021, AFC Champions Leagues, and the 2016 Olympic Games. In this match, he also gave Vietnamese striker Van Toan a second yellow card and failed to spot Hau elbowing his opponents on a few occasions. Despite playing with 10 men, Vietnam won 3-0 to go to the top of group B.

Source: VN Express

African World Cup referees Gomes and Sikazwe retired

Renowned South African referee Victor Gomes has announced his retirement following the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The 40-year-old called time on a glittering career where he officiated many big games as well as being voted the PSL Referee of the Season in 2012/13 and 2017/18.

"The dream started when I was only a child," he said on Marawa Sports Worldwide. "Now that I've achieved the World Cup, I'm grateful and ready to spend time with my family. The eight-hour flight was enough for me to make the decision to retire. I discussed it with my wife. I believe I've been better than those who have come before me, and I want others to come and also do better than me. Football is in my blood; I will leave the field, but I will still contribute towards lifting the SA's flag high." Gomes refereed two World Cup group stage games, France's 4-1 victory over Australia and the controversial Japan 2-1 victory over Spain. His final game of the tournament was as a fourth official when Argentina beat Netherlands in a dramatic penalty shootout. Gomes developed a reputation of being a "card happy" referee; however, he has managed many important matches throughout his career, including the 2021 African Cup of Nations Final between Egypt and Senegal. (Source: News24)

Zambia’s top referee Janny Sikazwe has officially retired from active football at the age of 43. Sikazwe has been a referee for two decades and made his international debut in 2007. Sikazwe’s career took off in 2012 when he whistled his first match at the AFCON. He also officiated the 2017 AFCON final clash that saw Cameroon beat Egypt 2-1 in Libreville, Gabon. However, Sikazwe made headlines for the wrong reasons at the 2021 AFCON after twice ending a group game between Mali and Tunisia in the last ten minutes of the game in Cameroon. Sikazwe’s judgment during that match played in Limbe was said to be down to a bout of heatstroke. But that was Sikawze’s second controversial movement after he was briefly suspended from November 2018 to January 2019. Sikazwe was suspended for alleged corruption in the CAF Champions League semi-final final leg match between Esperance of Tunisia and Angolan club Premiero de Agosto. He also refereed the 2016 FIFA Club World Cup final between Real Madrid and Japanese side Kashima Antlers in Yokohama and was at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup in South Korea. Sikazwe refereed two matches at the 2018 World Cup, followed by one this year in Qatar, Belgium against Canada. Sikazwe’s performance during the Belgium-Canada game had also been debated upon with two alleged penalties not given to Canada. In his defense, the VAR did not step in. (Source: FarPost) Speaking during a briefing, Sikazwe said his decision to retire was made before the World Cup, as he announced it to CAF and copied the Football Association of Zambia. Sikazwe says his focus area now will be to impart knowledge and skills in the upcoming officials to also reach the heights he achieved. FAZ Vice-President Justin Mumba has applauded Sikazwe for his role in marketing Zambia’s match officiating credentials to the world. He said the FIFA referee has done a noble thing by retiring while everyone is still clapping, adding that the FA will always be there for Sikazwe and the doors will always remain open for him to train others and give his expert views. (Source: FAZ)

Referee Marciniak hit back at criticism of his World Cup final performance with a photo on his mobile phone

World Cup final referee Szymon Marciniak hits back at 2/10 L’Equipe rating and 200,000-signature petition with phone footage showing “this is not serious business”. The Polish official, who officiated in Argentina’s win over France and seemingly got all the big calls right, including the awarding of three penalties, was largely applauded for his display. However, some questions were raised over Marciniak’s control of the shoot-out with Argentina’s Emi Martinez receiving a booking for distraction tactics, but in France they focused on another incident. Media outlet L’Equipe – notorious for their harsh match ratings – only gave Kylian Mbappe a 9/10 despite him becoming only the second player to score a World Cup final hat-trick. Perhaps harsher than that, though, was Marciniak getting a 2/10, while a petition to replay the final has received over 200,000 signatures. After the match, L’Equipe posted a photo of Lionel Messi’s goal that made it 3-2 goal in extra-time, claiming Argentina players were already on the pitch celebrating. “According to the regulations, Messi’s second goal, in extra time, should have been disallowed by the match referee, Szymon Marciniak,” they wrote. “Argentinian substitutes were already on the pitch before the ball went over the goal line of Hugo Lloris.”

Marciniak had the perfect response while discussing the game back in Poland, whipping out his phone to show the France bench on the pitch for one of Mbappe’s goals. “The French have not said anything about these photos, where you can see that there were seven French players on the field before Mbappe scored,” he said. “The game was never affected. How much impact did the players who came onto the field have? It’s looking for little things. This is not serious business.”

The referee also revealed that while the French media and fans might be angry with him, the players certainly weren’t. “The French thanked me after the game and were satisfied with our performance,” he said. “Everyone came up to us and shook our hands. I talked a little bit with Hugo Lloris and Olivier Giroud. Kylian Mbappe even gave me a hug. He was very disappointed by the loss. I think it was a human response. I also hugged him and tried to comfort him.”

Marciniak also went into detail about retired Pierluigi Collina, considered the best ever referee, visiting him in the changing room after. “Collina knew he was always my idol. After this final he told me: now you are my idol. It was the best thing I could hear. You know how it is. We don’t have complexes that we are from Poland, but when we started our international career, we ended up in the third category of referees. Others, who were in the second category, had much better matches and refereed at the highest level, but somehow we ended up here in the World Cup final.”

Source: TalkSport

Listkiewicz: “If we had disallowed the goal, it would be a scandal”

Polish referees who officiated the 2022 World Cup final returned to their homeland. Their excellent work was appreciated with a very warm welcome at the airport. Tomasz Listkiewicz, who was one of Szymon Marciniak's assistants, did not expect that their success would cause such a stir in the country. In an interview for TVP Sport, he spoke about his unforgettable experience in Qatar.

– After the final you spent two more days in Qatar. How did you spend Monday and Tuesday?

– We had certain obligations toward FIFA, such as talking to their media or signing cards and souvenirs for sponsors. There was also a summary of the match and a farewell dinner, but later we managed to relax a bit. Families came over and we spent time with them. We could lay back and relax a bit. Emotions are only now coming down from us and the body demands regeneration, so we will still be resting until Christmas.

– How did you manage to deal with the emotions before the final?

– There were two aspects. The first was not to put unnecessary pressure on ourselves. Thinking about the importance of the game only hinders good refereeing. The main task was to cut off from everything else. I have not replied to text messages and congratulations since Saturday. I apologize to everyone I did not reply to, but we had to act like this. The second thing - tactically, physically, and mentally, we prepared the same as for every game. This was not the time to invent something new. There was only an analysis of how teams and individual players played. On the day of the match, also standard preparations with a light breakfast and a carbohydrate lunch, plus a nap. We were at the stadium an hour and a half before the match. There was an inspection of the pitch and the goal-line technology system, checking communication with the VAR center. The music playlist was also the same as usual.

– In the conversation before the final, your dad said that you are responsible for choosing the music. What kind is dominant?

- Our playlist is quite long, and we play it randomly, so it is not always the same songs. Rock and guitar music predominate. It is energetic and uplifting, but not too spicy either. It is not about becoming aggressive or over motivated. Music is supposed to put you in a good mood. We have rituals that work. In sports, you should not be superstitious, because it can be disturbing, but rituals that bring you to the right state of concentration are perfectly fine.

– Your father, Michal, recalled 1990, when he himself was selected for the final. You were still a young boy, but did it cross your mind at that time to repeat your father's achievement one day?

– No, I was 12 at the time and I wanted to be more of a rock musician or a football player. At the age of a sneaker, I tried to kick the ball, but without much effect. After all, in music, God was also stingy with my talent. After two years of learning to play the guitar, I felt that big stages were not waiting for me. I was very proud of my dad, I still remember those emotions, but it never occurred to me then that I would follow in his footsteps. I signed up for the refereeing course in college, and it was still a secret from my dad. Even when I started refereeing, I treated it more as an adventure and an opportunity to slightly strengthen the student budget. It was only later that I met very cool people, thanks to whom I slowly began to swallow this bug.

– The media in various parts of the world wrote about the case of the Listkiewicz family. Do you know whether there are similar family connections in the refereeing environment?

– I do not remember any spectacular ones. It is very popular in England that being a football referee becomes a family tradition. For example, Michael Oliver's dad, who also worked in Qatar, was a referee. Admittedly, more at the regional level, but the son followed in his footsteps. He became the youngest referee in the Premier League at the age of 26. Then someone else beat him up. Howard Webb's dad was also a referee. Of course, there were hardly any cases of father and son refereeing the final of the World Cup, but I remember that in the 1970s there was probably one referee from Italy at the World Cup, and his son also worked at this most important tournament years later.

– Let's get to the final itself. What was the hardest moment of the game from your perspective?

– I had one key moment, which was the goal to make it 3-2. In referee jargon, it was a "tight" situation. The distance between the offside line and the striker's point closest to the goal line was very close. It was a dynamic action with quick passing. When the goal was scored, I waited a bit with my soul on my shoulder to see what VAR would say. The whole match was challenging and tense in terms of cooperation. There are provocations between the players, so you have to keep your eyes open. We worked a lot with Szymon to have this cooperation well organized. We know who has to look at which zone of the pitch. We felt this mental fatigue building up. On the other hand, we were very happy to be taking part in such a great event. It was known that we would not run out of physical or mental strength, because we devoted several years of our lives to this passion and profession.

– On the occasion of the action at 3-2, discussions arose about the Argentines who ran from the bench onto the pitch at the moment of Leo Messi's shot. Is there anything the referee can do about this situation?

– No, absolutely. When the French scored the equalizing goal at 3-3, four of their players had already crossed the line with joy. The rules of the game are not a penal code. You can't analyze everything literally. The most important thing is the spirit of the game. For example, there is a rule saying that play cannot continue without a corner flag. Let's imagine that the flag is broken and there is no spare. Well, what, Szymon would say that on page 30 in the rules there is such a provision, and we cancel the final of the World Cup? Of course, there are reserve flags at this level, but I give it as an example. This is the level of absurdity if someone finds irregularities in the goal of the Argentines. Imagine if we had stopped the action and disallowed the goal. I think we would have a problem to finish the game and leave the pitch because it would be a scandal. There is also a rule that the goalkeeper may only hold the ball in his hands for six seconds. No one counts down to a fraction of a second. The spirit of the game, tradition and guidelines that do not break the rules, but add a bit to the interpretation somewhere, are the most important. During the tournament we had various briefings where Pierluigi Collina said that if refereeing consisted in knowing the rules of the game by heart, there would be several hundred million excellent referees in the world. Everyone can learn 150 pages, but as you can see, there are not so many of these outstanding referees, because that's not what it's all about. Anyway, in the preamble to the rules you can read that all situations should be considered in the context of the spirit of the game and sport justice.

– At half-time you had to be aware that your work was going well. What did you say to yourself when it was time for those few minutes to catch your breath?

– They always say 30 percent of the work has been done by half-time. Usually, the second half is more difficult. Szymon said it was fine. He felt accepted by the players. We have good decisions, because VAR confirms all the key ones, but this is not the time to rejoice. There is the rest of the match and need concentration to do the same in the second half. No one has yet received an award for being a good referee for 45 minutes. Focusing on completing a task to the end is the basis of sports psychology. With increasing fatigue, both in players and referees, the number of errors increases closer to the end of the match. Knowing this, you cannot rest on your laurels during the break. We always remind ourselves of this, thanks to which we managed to maintain the right level.

– I do not know if the referee has time to appreciate the artistry of the players during the match, but you were lucky to officiate outstanding players. Which player made the biggest impression during the final?

– I have not watched the game yet and during the game we are very focused on our task. Even when we communicate with each other, we try to use numbers, so we do not say someone is holding Messi. This could impose additional pressure. Thanks to this, all players are treated equally. Regardless of whether it is an Ekstraklasa, Champions League, or World Cup match, after the final whistle I cannot say whether the match was at a good football level. I don't even look at the ball, but at the second-last player of the defending team, and I see the ball out of the corner of my eye. Of course, when the goal was scored, I saw that there was a nice move by Messi, on the other hand, I saw something from behind. However, it is such a flattened image from the level of the pitch and such a specific way of concentration that I cannot judge the sports level.

– Did you expect such a warm welcome at the airport in Poland?

– I am very surprised, positively of course. I am very pleased. Referees don't have that much media activity daily, so I'm also tired, but it's a nice tiredness. Referees are either criticized or there is silence about them. This time our work was more appreciated due to the importance of the event. Before and after the game, we felt support from friends, family, referees from Poland and other countries, but also from the media. I am overwhelmed by the scale of interest and positive reception, but I am very happy about it.

– Is there already a concrete idea where your shoes from the final will be placed?

– No, of course I tweeted this photo with a grain of salt. The shoes are still in the bag because I haven't had time to unpack. I donated the match jersey signed by Szymon, Collina and the whole team for a Christmas charity auction. I think that I will use the shoes during refereeing Ekstraklasa matches and European competitions. We got a limited edition, made especially for the World Cup. They are very comfortable shoes, so I will not get rid of them for now.

– On the occasion of your success, there was a discussion about why there are no transfers of referees between leagues. How do you approach this idea?

– The idea was already there. The refereeing authorities wanted to "outplay" talented referees from smaller competitions in stronger leagues, so that they would be ready for matches in Europe. Competitions in any given country are conducted by national associations or separate commercial law companies. UEFA cannot force them to accept referees from another federation. Such exchanges take place, but sporadically. Once in a while, referees from Poland are invited to referee matches of the Czech league. We once had a very interesting and useful exchange with the Japanese federation. The Japanese refereed Ekstraklasa, and we did J-League. Our careers will last maybe eight more years, so in our referee lifetime transfers of referees are unlikely to materialize. It must be said, however, that the more such exchanges and getting to know a different football culture, the better. The referees will develop faster.

– In one of the conversations you mentioned the need to set new goals. There is no game bigger than the World Cup final. So how do you motivate yourself to carry on with your plans and what are your goals now?

– The greatest dream is fulfilled, because the most prestigious match is behind us. We will not get a second World Cup final. Conversations or reading the autobiographies of outstanding athletes show that it is easier to reach the top than to stay there for several years. This can be our overall challenge. We did a beautiful thing, but now it would be a shame to fail three matches in the Polish league and lose all the respect we earned. We have to take small steps; it's all about focusing on the task at hand. When we go to an Ekstraklasa match, we don't think that if things go well, we have a chance for the Polish Cup final. The same with the Champions League - when the quarter-finals come out, you can't think that we can be candidates for the final. Refereeing is not a competition, we don't go out on the field to compete with other referees, but to ensure that the match is played according to the rules of the game. It is the committee that selects the referees. There is no point in setting goals that are not 100% dependent on our work. We have to stay down to earth, go out to a match and referee it well.

Source: TVP Sport

VAR Kwiatkowski: “When sitting in a warm chair, drinking beer and eating crisps, everything seems simple”

World Cup final VAR Tomasz Kwiatkowski bites back at claims Argentina's goal should not have stood, as he insists his team coped well with “several tight decisions”. Before Kylian Mbappe's late equaliser forced penalties, Lionel Messi's goal in extra-time had put Argentina 3-2 ahead, but the French press were adamant it should not have stood. L'Equipe - along with many on social media - argued that there were Argentina players on the pitch at the time of Messi's 108th minute goal.

Video Assistant Referee Tomasz Kwiatkowski has defended his team's decisions throughout the game. “I had three penalties, which were very well awarded by [referee] Szymon Marciniak. I had two situations with a potential red card and a super-difficult dive of Marcus Thuram and remember that sometimes a dive is in the balance with a penalty.” In a brutal assessment to critics, he added: “When you are sitting in a warm chair, drinking beer and eating crisps, everything seems simple”, tackling the criticisms levelled against the refereeing of this final. “In addition to the situations that I have mentioned, I checked a lot of small things to possibly help, for example, a quick indication of a number or a small hint about a decision.”

Source: Daily Mail

Seidel: “FIFA asked us to watch and analyze every World Cup match”

Jan Seidel attended the FIFA World Cup in Qatar as an assistant referee of Daniel Siebert and accepted a conversation about a football marathon, heated emotions, and Euro 2024 in Germany. In football, the performance of the referees is discussed at least as intensely as that of the players, a circumstance that Jan Seidel is very familiar with. The 38-year-old assistant referee from Brandenburg regularly works along with Daniel Siebert in Bundesliga and Champions League. In Qatar, their team was appointed for the first time to a World Cup match.

- You made your World Cup debut in Qatar as Daniel Siebert's assistant. How did you experience the tournament?

- I found the tournament very positive. From the whole organisation around it and from the weather conditions as well. The tournament itself went well for us, so we can be satisfied.

- How did you prepare for your first World Cup?

- We worked a lot in the physical area. We have had a fitness trainer at the DFB for years who supports us and does one-to-one training - if desired - by planning a unit for each day, depending on what the body needs and what the requirements are for a tournament. In cooperation with a physio practice in Berlin and a second physio, I then tried to develop an optimal training plan, which started in the summer. From then on, I kept it up until the World Cup.

- What is the everyday life of an assistant referee during a World Cup like this?

- During the World Cup, we were asked to watch and analyze as many games as possible, so that we can learn something from others when things are going well. That way, we know what is going on, what is being discussed or what might be interesting situations in terms of applying the rules. For years, our team has been discussing by phone important issues from matches. That was also the case at the World Cup. I can say that I really followed every game. I have never managed to do that completely before.

- So, you analyzed every World Cup game together with Daniel Siebert and the other assistant, Rafael Foltyn, until you left?

- We analyzed every World Cup game [with Siebert and Foltyn] and partly also with the two [German] video assistants, who were, however, often appointed with other referee teams. Our team often watched matches together. There was a common room where we could do that. And when it was late, everyone watched in their own room. We then evaluated the important situations via chat or at breakfast the next day. In addition, FIFA held a "debriefing" every day after a match, i.e., a meeting where the most important situations were discussed. That gave us one more reason to watch the games, so we knew what it was all about, and we had meaningful discussions.

- Away from football, what do you remember most about the country and culture of Qatar?

- We had the chance to explore Doha a bit in the hours when we were free and there was no football. Two or three times we were in the city and had a quick look at the old town, which was very nicely decorated, with lots of restaurants. From Azerbaijani to Georgian restaurants, everything was there. I did not expect that. If you go there and you do not get to know Doha, you might think that there are three high-rise buildings and that's it (laughs).

- You are already used to the Champions League: is that comparable in terms of the pressure or is the World Cup a completely different challenge for a referee team?

- The World Cup is different from a Champions League match. We had officiated a Champions League quarter-final second leg recently, so that was close, I would say, but the World Cup is simply something special. You must try to keep the emotions as low as possible and judge the situations objectively. And I think that is generally easier for the referees than for the players, as we have seen.

- Let’s talk about your second game between Uruguay and Ghana. The South Americans have unsuccessfully claimed a penalty twice. How did you experience that game?

- We had tried to fade out all possible situations in the group in the sense that we wanted to concentrate on the actual situations as much as possible. But of course, you must know that, when a team scores a goal, like South Korea, Uruguay suddenly needs a third goal, which was not necessary before. And it was precisely at that point, when the goal was scored against Portugal, that it started to get critical and emotional. Up to that point, the game was under control. You can see that the cause was rather the result of the parallel match. And then it was difficult to slow the players down and calm them down.

- That means you always had the context in the back of your mind. Were you also informed about intermediate score during the game?

- We have agreed with the video assistant referee that when important goals occur that are relevant for our game, we want to have that information. That also helps us in the match management because we know that, from that moment on, every decision is important, and we must take a closer look and put a special focus on individual situations. So, we had the knowledge that a striker might now try to get something out of it because they could not do it just by playing. That is exactly what happened to us. We had to be prepared for that. For all the critical decisions, though, I have to give Daniel a lot of credit. He was very close and analysed them very well. Both penalty decisions were according to the way FIFA wants them to be. That was also confirmed the next day.

- After the game, Siebert felt the frustration of the players and they fled into the tunnel with him. How did you experience that situation?

- Of course, from Uruguay's point of view, it was frustrating. And it is nothing new that the players, some of whom were playing in their last World Cup, get frustrated and try to channel this frustration somewhere and direct it at the referees. I think Daniel reacted very strongly with his body language and handed out cards after the end of the game. But no matter what you would have done in this situation, you would not have been able to calm the players down. There is nothing to be gained from that and you should go to the dressing room as quickly as possible, because every second you stay out there, it gets worse.

- Did you understand FIFA's decision not to appoint your referee team for a third World Cup game?

- We were one of ten European referee teams at this World Cup and by far the least experienced team, both in terms of age and international experience. In addition, we had not yet refereed a European final. All the other nine referees had. Therefore, it was clear to us that it would be a great achievement if we referee two matches. You could also see that great referees went home with one game or none at all. Those were the ones who were more affected. We can be satisfied with our tournament. Hopefully, we can build on that at the next tournament.

- Are such World Cup games the greatest thing you can achieve as a referee or assistant?

- A World Cup match is the best thing you can achieve. The first World Cup game we refereed, Australia against Tunisia, gave me shivers before the game. Because we realised what we had achieved. More is not possible. The World Cup is the greatest thing ever.

- You are mainly an assistant in the Bundesliga. To what extent, in your opinion, does the work of a referee differ between the league and the World Cup?

- We tried to approach these games as routinely and down-to-earth as possible. But I have to say retrospectively that the pressure situation at the World Cup is different when I realise that the whole world is watching. And what adds to that is that we did not have a European team in our two games. We are very used to European football. There are other systems of play, other characters, and a different temperament. We saw that with the Moroccans, for example, with how much passion they play football. And Uruguay was like that too.

- Perhaps a brief outlook at the end. There are other tournaments coming up, for example the Euro 2024 in Germany. Is it your goal to be there?

- In terms of age, we are not yet talking about the last tournament. We still have a perspective. Once we have relaxed a bit and come to terms with everything, the next big goal is the Euro in our own country, that is clear.

- And then the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the USA?

- Actually, our plan was not this World Cup, but the next one. The last two years have been very steep and unexpectedly uphill. That is why we are still sticking to the idea that "our" World Cup should come in four years.

Source: Sportschau

FIFA Women's World Cup 2023

Australia & New Zealand, 20 July – 20 August 2023

AFC

Referee: Kate Jacewicz (AUS, 1985, photo)

Assistant Referee 1: Kim Kyoung-Min (KOR, 1980)

Assistant Referee 2: Joanna Charaktis (AUS, 1994)

Referee: Casey Reibelt (AUS, 1988)

Assistant Referee 1: Ramina Tsoi (KGZ, 1990)

Assistant Referee 2: Xie Lijun (CHN, 1986)

Referee: Oh Hyeon-Jeong (KOR, 1988) 

Assistant Referee 1: Lee Seul-Gi (KOR, 1980)

Assistant Referee 2: Park Mi-Suk (KOR, 1982)

Referee: Yoshimi Yamashita (JPN, 1986)

Assistant Referee 1: Makoto Bozono (JPN, 1980)

Assistant Referee 2: Naomi Teshirogi (JPN, 1980)

Support Match Officials

Referee: Kim Yu-Jeong (KOR, 1988)

Assistant Referee: Heba Saadieh (PLE, 1984)

Video Match Officials

1. Abdullah Al-Marri (QAT, 1992)

2. Muhammad Bin Jahari (SIN, 1986)

CAF

Referee: Bouchra Karboubi (MAR, 1986)

Assistant Referee 1: Fatiha Jermoumi (MAR, 1984)

Assistant Referee 2: Soukaina Hamdi (MAR, 1988)

Referee: Salima Mukansanga (RWA, 1988)

Assistant Referee 1: Queency Victoire (MRI, 1987)

Assistant Referee 2: Mary Njoroge (KEN, 1985)

Referee: Vincentia Amedome (TOG, 1986)

Assistant Referee 1: Karine Atezambong (CMR, 1984)

Assistant Referee 2: Fanta Kone (MLI, 1990)

Support Match Officials

Referee: Akhona Makalima (RSA, 1989)

Assistant Referee: Diana Chikotesha (ZAM, 1988)

Video Match Official

1. Adil Zourak (MAR, 1978)

CONCACAF

Referee: Marie-Soleil Beaudoin (CAN, 1982)

Assistant Referee 1: Chantal Boudreau (CAN, 1989)

Assistant Referee 2: Stephanie Yee Sing (JAM, 1986)

Referee: Melissa Borjas (HON, 1986)

Assistant Referee 1: Shirley Perello (HON, 1986)

Assistant Referee 2: Sandra Ramirez (MEX, 1989)

Referee: Katia Garcia (MEX, 1992)

Assistant Referee 1: Karen Diaz (MEX, 1984)

Assistant Referee 2: Enedina Caudillo (MEX, 1984)

Referee: Ekaterina Koroleva (USA, 1987)

Assistant Referee 1: Kathryn Nesbitt (USA, 1988)

Assistant Referee 2: Felisha Mariscal (USA, 1982)

Referee: Tori Penso (USA, 1985)

Assistant Referee 1: Brooke Mayo (USA, 1990)

Assistant Referee 2: Mijensa Rensch (SUR, 1993)

Support Referees

1. Myriam Marcotte (CAN, 1992)

2. Marianela Araya (CRC, 1989)

Video Match Officials

1. Carol Anne Chenard (CAN, 1977)

2. Drew Fischer (CAN, 1980)

3. Tatiana Guzman (NCA, 1985)

4. Armando Villarreal (USA, 1986)

CONMEBOL

Referee: Laura Fortunato (ARG, 1985)

Assistant Referee 1: Mariana De Almeida (ARG, 1982)

Assistant Referee 2: Daiana Milone (ARG, 1988)

Referee: Edina Alves (BRA, 1980)

Assistant Referee 1: Neuza Back (BRA, 1984)

Assistant Referee 2: Leila Moreira (BRA, 1988)

Referee: Maria Carvajal (CHI, 1983)

Assistant Referee 1: Leslie Vasquez (CHI, 1987)

Assistant Referee 2: Loreto Toloza (CHI, 1984)

Referee: Emikar Calderas (VEN, 1990)

Assistant Referee 1: Migdalia Rodriguez (VEN, 1988)

Assistant Referee 2: Mary Blanco (COL, 1984)

Support Match Officials

Referee: Anahi Fernandez (URU, 1996)

Assistant Referee: Monica Amboya (ECU, 1982)

Video Match Officials

1. Salome Di Iorio (ARG, 1980)

2. Daiane Muniz (BRA, 1988)

3. Nicolas Gallo (COL, 1986)

4. Juan Soto (VEN, 1977)

OFC

Referee: Anna-Marie Keighley (NZL, 1982)

Assistant Referee 1: Sarah Jones (NZL, 1990)

Assistant Referee 2: Maria Salamasina (SAM, 1989)

UEFA

Referee: Rebecca Welch (ENG, 1983)

Assistant Referee 1: Natalie Aspinall (ENG, 1981)

Assistant Referee 2: Anita Vad (HUN, 1991)

Referee: Marta Huerta De Aza (ESP, 1990)

Assistant Referee 1: Guadalupe Porras Ayuso (ESP, 1987)

Assistant Referee 2: Sanja Rodjak-Karšić (CRO, 1983)

Referee: Maria Ferrieri Caputi (ITA, 1990)

Assistant Referee 1: Francesca Di Monte (ITA, 1990)

Assistant Referee 2: Mihaela Tepusa (ROU, 1983)

Referee: Stephanie Frappart (FRA, 1983)

Assistant Referee 1: Manuela Nicolosi (FRA, 1980)

Assistant Referee 2: Elodie Coppola (FRA, 1983)

Referee: Lina Lehtovaara (FIN, 1981)

Assistant Referee 1: Chrysoula Kourompylia (GRE, 1977)

Assistant Referee 2: Karolin Kaivoja (EST, 1992)

Referee: Tess Olofsson (SWE, 1988)

Assistant Referee 2: Lucie Ratajova (CZE, 1979)

Assistant Referee 2: Polyxeni Irodotou (CYP, 1982)

Referee: Esther Staubli (SUI, 1979)

Assistant Referee 1: Susanne Küng (SUI, 1988)

Assistant Referee 2: Katrin Rafalski (GER, 1982)

Referee: Kateryna Monzul (UKR, 1981)

Assistant Referee 1: Maryna Striletska (UKR, 1983)

Assistant Referee 2: Paulina Baranowska (POL, 1988)

Referee: Cheryl Foster (WAL, 1980)

Assistant Referee 1: Michelle O’Neill (IRL, 1978)

Assistant Referee 2: Franca Overtoom (NED, 1991)

Support Referees

1. Ivana Martincic (CRO, 1985)

2. Iuliana Demetrescu (ROU, 1990)

Video Match Officials

1. Ella De Vries (BEL, 1977)

2. Sian Massey-Ellis (ENG, 1985)

3. Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez (ESP, 1982)

4. Juan Martinez Munuera (ESP, 1982)

5. Marco Fritz (GER, 1977)

6. Massimiliano Irrati (ITA, 1979)

7. Paulus Van Boekel (NED, 1975)

UEFA Women’s Champions League 2022/23 – Group Stage (Matchday 6)

21 December 2022 

Olympique Lyonnais – Juventus
Referee: Jana Adamkova (CZE, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Lucie Ratajova (CZE)
Assistant Referee 2: Zuzana Spindlerova (CZE)
Fourth Official: Veronika Kovarova (CZE)
Referee Observer: Eleni Kyriou (GRE)

FC Zürich Frauen – Arsenal WFC
Referee: Alina Pesu (ROU)
Assistant Referee 1: Alexandra Apostu (ROU)
Assistant Referee 2: Daniela Constantinescu (ROU)
Fourth Official: Rasa Grigone (LTU)
Referee Observer: Jenny Palmqvist (SWE)

Bayern München – SL Benfica
Referee: Maria Ferrieri Caputi (ITA)
Assistant Referee 1: Francesca Di Monte (ITA)
Assistant Referee 2: Tiziana Trasciatti (ITA)
Fourth Official: Silvia Gasperotti (ITA)
Referee Observer: Katarzyna Wierzbowska (POL)

FC Barcelona – FC Rosengard
Referee: Desiree Grundbacher (SUI)
Assistant Referee 1: Sara Telek (AUT)
Assistant Referee 2: Laura Cordani (SMR)
Fourth Official: Esther Staubli (SUI)
Referee Observer: Antonia Kokotou (GRE)

22 December 2022
SKN St. Pölten – VfL Wolfsburg
Referee: Eleni Antoniou (GRE)
Assistant Referee 1: Chrysoula Kourompylia (GRE)
Assistant Referee 2: Maria Detsi (GRE)
Fourth Official: Andromachi Tsiofliki (GRE)
Referee Observer: Bente Skogvang (NOR)

Slavia Praha – AS Roma
Referee: Lizzy van der Helm (NED)
Assistant Referee 1: Nicolet Bakker (NED)
Assistant Referee 2: Gerda Eidinzonaite (LTU)
Fourth Official: Marisca Overtoom (NED)
Referee Observer: Knarik Grigoryan (ARM)

Chelsea WFC – Paris St. Germain
Referee: Iuliana Demetrescu (ROU)
Assistant Referee 1: Petruta Iugulescu (ROU)
Assistant Referee 2: Mihaela Tepusa (ROU)
Fourth Official: Ana Terteleac (ROU)
Referee Observer: Sofia Karagiorgi (CYP)

Real Madrid – KFF Vllaznia
Referee: Zuzana Valentova (SVK)
Assistant Referee 1: Maria Sukenikova (SVK)
Assistant Referee 2: Miroslava Obertova (SVK)
Fourth Official: Eszter Urban (HUN)
Referee Observer: Carolina De Boeck (BEL)

IFFHS World’s Best Woman Referee 2022: Frappart (FRA)

For the fourth consecutive year, Stephanie Frappart wins the IFFHS Award of the Women’s World Best Referee 2022. She was the first woman to referee in men’s UEFA Champions League (2020) and a men’s World Cup qualifying match (2021). In 2022, she was again the first woman to referee at a men’s FIFA World Cup. Kateryna Monzul (IFFHS Award winner 2015) and Finland’s Lina Lehtovaara complete the podium. (Source: IFFHS)

IFFHS World’s Best Women Referees 2022

1. Stephanie Frappart (FRA, photo) - 135p

2. Kateryna Monzul (UKR) - 45p

3. Lina Lehtovaara (FIN) - 30p

4. Marta Huerta De Aza (ESP) - 25p

5. Esther Staubli (SUI) - 20p

6. Salima Mukansanga (RWA) - 20p

7. Yoshimi Yamashita (JPN) - 15p

8. Rebecca Welch (ENG) - 10p

9. Emikar Calderas (VEN) - 5p

10. Riem Huseein (GER) - 5p

AIA President Trentalange resigns

Just hours after a FIGC disciplinary hearing and the AIA (Italian Referees Association) backed him to stay, President Alfredo Trentalange has resigned. The decision was a surprise in the circumstances, as he won a vote of no confidence in the AIA ranks.

Trentalange was blamed when it emerged the chief prosecutor of the AIA, Rosario D’Onofrio, had been arrested for participating in an international drug-smuggling ring. D’Onofrio had even been under house arrest during his tenure as prosecutor but did not inform the AIA of his situation and nobody did the necessary background checks either. An investigation was held by the FIGC prosecutor and recently Trentalange gave his deposition, with his lawyers assuring he was a victim of D’Onofrio’s deception. With his resignation as President of the Italian Referees Association, it is now likely the AIA will be put under the control of the FIGC with a special temporary receivership.

Source: Football Italia

Siebert: “FIFA assessed as correct all my penalty area decisions”

German referee Daniel Siebert was in the studio at MagentaTV and spoke extensively about his decisions in the decisive World Cup match Ghana-Uruguay. According to him, all his three decisions in critical penalty area situations have been assessed as correct by FIFA.

Min. 16: Penalty for Ghana after goalkeeper fouled Kudus. The referee team was too focused on a possible line of sight offside and therefore not concentrated enough on the following challenge. Penalty after on-field review was correct.

Min. 57: No penalty for Uruguay after a challenge between Amartey and Darwin. On-field review was done because VAR Dankert initially failed to see Amartey playing the ball. VAR changed his opinion after Siebert's observation and apologized.

Min. 90+3: No penalty for Uruguay after a duel between Seidu and Cavani. Correct, because Cavani slowed the pace and put his right leg into Seidu's path to "provoke" contact (the ball went left). The same decision (no penalty kick) was previously taken in two similar cases (Qatar-Senegal and Belgium-Canada), hence the expectation of FIFA not to whistle here as well, in the sense of a uniform interpretation of the rules.

Source: Collinas Erben

Marciniak: “Life gives back to me and I cannot even stop smiling”

Polish referee Szymon Marciniak has been appointed as referee for Sunday's 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar final between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on Sunday, 18 December. Marciniak, 41, has been a FIFA referee since 2011. Sunday's match will be his third at Qatar 2022, having officiated France's 2-1 win over Denmark in the group stage and the Round of 16 clash between finalists Argentina and Australia, which the former won 2-1. “Being the referee in a World Cup final… it’s unbelievable, to be honest. I’m very proud of myself and my team because, of course, it’s not only Szymon Marciniak, but also a great team. We’ve been working since forever and we are like family: we win together, we lose together sometimes”, said Marciniak, referring to his assistant referees on Sunday, Pawel Sokolnicki and Tomasz Listkiewicz.

The final appointment marks an incredible turnaround for Marciniak, who recently had some health problems that are thankfully now a thing of the past. “I had a very difficult time for the last year and a half. I had Tachycardia – it’s a heart illness. 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. Only I, and my team, know how difficult of a time it was for me. Now, life gives back to me, and I cannot even stop smiling because it's a great feeling.”

Marciniak is refereeing at his second FIFA World Cup after appearing previously at the 2018 edition. A regular at FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in Europe, he has also officiated at the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup held in Qatar. Marciniak has also overseen matches in the UEFA Champions League, last season refereeing the first leg of the semi-final tie between Liverpool FC and Villarreal CF.

The Polish referee, who was a footballer before he was a referee, playing for his hometown team Wisla Plock, decided to try his hand at refereeing after being sent off in a match and being inspired by his subsequent conversation with the referee who gave him the red card. “We spoke after the game, and he told me a very important sentence: if you think this is easy work, go and try. You will see. I thought: why not? So, immediately I went for the course and started refereeing. I am grateful for him because if not for this red card - I would probably never have become a referee.”

Source: FIFA

Listkiewicz family in World Cup finals

Tomasz Listkiewicz will be one of the assistant referees for the 2022 World Cup final, Argentina – France. 32 years ago, his father Michal fulfilled the same role in the World Cup final Germany – Argentina in Italy. Interestingly, the father (Jose Maria) of the 1990 World Cup final, Edgardo Codesal, also participated in a World Cup (1966), but did not referee the final. On the other hand, Ramon Barreto (Uruguay) is the only referee appointed to two World Cup finals (1974 and 1978), both as assistant referee.

Michal Listkiewicz was selected by FIFA for the 1990 World Cup in Italy. At that time, there were no specialized lists (the AR role was introduced in 1992), but Michal Listkiewicz impressed FIFA and they decided to only appoint him as linesman (as it was called back then). He started the tournament with the opening match, Argentina – Cameroon, and ended up in the final, Argentina – Germany, along with referee Edgardo Codesal (MEX) and the other assistant referee, Armando Perez (COL). In total, Michal Listkiewicz was appointed as AR to 8 matches in a single World Cup, including both the final and a semi-final, which still stands as a world record.

While his father was appointed based on his individual merit, Tomasz Listkiewicz received his World Cup final appointment as part of Marciniak’s team. Starting in 2006, all selected referees attended the World Cup along with their team. This year, FIFA awarded the World Cup final to the Polish refereeing team Szymon Marciniak (referee), Pawel Sokolnicki and Tomasz Listkiewicz (assistant referees), along with Tomasz Kwiatkowski (video assistant referee). Prior to the final, they only refereed two matches (France – Denmark and Argentina – Australia) involving both finalists. Tomasz Listkiewicz will follow in his father’s footsteps after 32 years in a World Cup final with Argentina.

FIFA World Cup Final 2022: Marciniak (POL)

18 December 2022

Argentina – France
Referee: Szymon Marciniak (POL, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Pawel Sokolnicki (POL)
Assistant Referee 2: Tomasz Listkiewicz (POL)
Fourth Official: Ismail Elfath (USA)
Reserve AR: Kathryn Nesbitt (USA)
VAR: Tomasz Kwiatkowski (POL)
AVAR: Juan Soto (VEN)
OVAR: Kyle Atkins (USA)
SVAR: Fernando Guerrero (MEX)
SAVAR: Corey Parker (USA)

FIFA World Cup 2022 – Match for Third Place

17 December 2022

Croatia – Morocco
Referee: Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (QAT, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Taleb Al-Marri (QAT)
Assistant Referee 2: Saoud Al-Maqaleh (QAT)
Fourth Official: Raphael Claus (BRA)
Reserve AR: Neuza Back (BRA)
VAR: Julio Bascunan (CHI)
AVAR: Pol van Boekel (NED)
OVAR: Bruno Pires (BRA)
SVAR: Armando Villarreal (USA)
SAVAR: Bruno Boschilia (BRA)

UEFA Women’s Champions League 2022/23 – Group Stage (Matchday 5)

15 December 2022 

Juventus – FC Zürich Frauen
Referee: Riem Hussein (GER, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Sina Diekmann (GER)
Assistant Referee 2: Karolin Kaivoja (EST)
Fourth Official: Angelika Soeder (GER)

FC Rosengard – Bayern München
Referee: Ewa Augustyn (POL)
Assistant Referee 1: Paulina Baranowska (POL)
Assistant Referee 2: Aleksandra Ulanowska (POL)
Fourth Official: Monika Mularczyk (POL)

Arsenal WFC – Olympique Lyonnais
Referee: Marta Huerta De Aza (ESP)
Assistant Referee 1: Guadalupe Porras Ayuso (ESP)
Assistant Referee 2: Eliana Fernandez Gonzalez (ESP)
Fourth Official: Ainara Acevedo Dudley (ESP)

SL Benfica – FC Barcelona
Referee: Jelena Cvetković (SRB)
Assistant Referee 1: Danijela Stojanović (SRB)
Assistant Referee 2: Aleksandra Kostić (SRB)
Fourth Official: Marina Živković (SRB)

16 December 2022
Vllaznia – Chelsea
Referee: Karoline Wacker (GER)
Assistant Referee 1: Melissa Joos (GER)
Assistant Referee 2: Vanessa Arlt (GER)
Fourth Official: Franziska Wildfeuer (GER)

AS Roma – St. Polten
Referee: Cheryl Foster (WAL)
Assistant Referee 1: Ceri Williams (WAL)
Assistant Referee 2: Emily Carney (ENG)
Fourth Official: Tess Olofsson (SWE)

Paris St. Germain – Real Madrid
Referee: Lina Lehtovaara (FIN)
Assistant Referee 1: Heini Hyvönen (FIN)
Assistant Referee 2: Tonja Weckström (FIN)
Fourth Official: Minka Vekkeli (FIN)

Wolfsburg – Slavia Praha
Referee: Henrikke Nervik (NOR)
Assistant Referee 1: Monica Lokkeberg (NOR)
Assistant Referee 2: Line Nymoen (NOR)
Fourth Official: Emilie Torkelsen (NOR)

Frappart handed over her historic match referee shirt to FIFA Museum

Stephanie Frappart became the first woman to referee a match at a men's FIFA World Cup in Qatar 2022. She met with the FIFA Museum Director Marco Fazzone in Doha and handed over her match-worn shirt from the game Costa Rica - Germany that she refereed. (Source: FIFA Museum)

The "firsts" of Stephanie Frappart

• 1 December 2022: first female referee in a men's World Cup match (Germany-Costa Rica)
• 19 May2022: one of the three female referees selected by FIFA for a men's World Cup (Qatar 2022)
• 7 May 2022: first female referee in the men's final of Coupe de France (Nice-Nantes)
• 19 March 2022: first female referee leading a 100% female trio in a French professional match (Ligue 2, Auxerre-Toulouse)
• 11 June 2021: first female fourth official in a men's Euro (Turkey-Italy)
• 21 April 2021: first female referee selected by UEFA for a men's Euro (Euro 2020)
• 2 December 2020: first female referee in a men's Champions League match (Juventus Turin-Dynamo Kiev)
• 6 September 2020: first female referee in a men's official international competition (Malta-Latvia, UEFA Nations League)
• 14 August 2019: first female referee in the UEFA Super Cup (Chelsea-Liverpool)
• 7 July 2019: first French female referee in the FIFA Women's World Cup final (USA-Netherlands)
• 28 April 2019: first female referee in a men's Ligue 1 match (Amiens-Strasbourg)
• 8 August 2014: first female referee in a men's Ligue 2 match (Niort-Brest)

Source: FFF

FIFA World Cup 2022 – Semi-final 2 (Match 62)

14 December 2022

France – Morocco

Referee: Cesar Ramos (MEX, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Alberto Morin (MEX)
Assistant Referee 2: Miguel Hernandez (MEX)
Fourth Official: Jesus Valenzuela (VEN)
Reserve AR: Jorge Urrego (VEN)
VAR: Drew Fischer (CAN)
AVAR: Nicolas Gallo (COL)
OVAR: Neuza Back (BRA)
SVAR: Armando Villarreal (USA)
SAVAR: Corey Parker (USA)

FIFA World Cup 2022 – Semi-final 1 (Match 61)

13 December 2022

Argentina – Croatia
Referee: Daniele Orsato (ITA, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Ciro Carbone (ITA)
Assistant Referee 2: Alessandro Giallatini (ITA)
Fourth Official: Abdulla Mohammed (UAE)
Reserve AR: Mohamed Al-Hammadi (UAE)
VAR: Massimiliano Irrati (ITA)
AVAR: Paolo Valeri (ITA)
OVAR: Kathryn Nesbitt (USA)
SVAR: Juan Soto (VEN)
SAVAR: Kyle Atkins (USA)

FIFA World Cup 2022 Referees (Second Release)

Match officials retained

AFC
Referees

1. Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (QAT)
2. Abdulla Mohammed (UAE, photo)

Assistant Referees
1. Taleb Al-Marri (QAT)
2. Saoud Al-Maqaleh (QAT)
3. Mohamed Al-Hammadi (UAE)
4. Hasan Al-Mahri (UAE)

CAF
Referee
1. Mustapha Ghorbal (ALG)

Assistant Referees
1. Abdelhak Etchiali (ALG)
2. Mokrane Gourari (ALG)

CONCACAF
Referees
1. Cesar Ramos (MEX)
2. Ismail Elfath (USA)

Assistant Referees
1. Miguel Hernandez (MEX)
2. Alberto Morin (MEX)
3. Kyle Atkins (USA)
4. Kathryn Nesbitt (USA)
5. Corey Parker (USA)

Video Assistant Referees

1. Drew Fischer (CAN)

2. Fernando Guerrero (MEX)

3. Armando Villarreal (USA)

CONMEBOL
Referees
1. Raphael Claus (BRA)
2. Wilton Sampaio (BRA)
3. Jesus Valenzuela (VEN)

Assistant Referees
1. Bruno Boschilia (BRA)
2. Rodrigo Figueiredo (BRA)
3. Bruno Pires (BRA)
4. Danilo Simon (BRA)
5. Neuza Back (BRA)
6. Tulio Moreno (VEN)
7. Jorge Urrego (VEN)

Video Assistant Referees

1. Julio Bascunan (CHI)

2. Nicolas Gallo (COL)

3. Juan Soto (VEN)

UEFA
Referees
1. Anthony Taylor (ENG)
2. Daniele Orsato (ITA)
3. Danny Makkelie (NED)
4. Szymon Marciniak (POL)

Assistant Referees
1. Gary Beswick (ENG)
2. Adam Nunn (ENG)
3. Ciro Carbone (ITA)
4. Alessandro Giallatini (ITA)
5. Hessel Steegstra (NED)
6. Jan de Vries (NED)
7. Tomasz Listkiewicz (POL)
8. Pawel Sokolnicki (POL)

Video Assistant Referees

1. Bastian Dankert (GER)

2. Massimiliano Irrati (ITA)

3. Paolo Valeri (ITA)

4. Paulus Van Boekel (NED) 

5. Tomasz Kwiatkowski (POL)

 

Match officials released after quarter-finals

AFC

Video Assistant Referee

1. Muhammad Bin Jahari (SIN)

CAF
Referee
1. Victor Gomes (RSA)

Assistant Referees
1. Souru Phatsoane (LES)
2. Zakhele Siwela (RSA)

Video Assistant Referee

1. Redouane Jiyed (MAR) 

CONCACAF
Referee
1. Ivan Barton (SLV)

Assistant Referee
1. David Moran (SLV)

CONMEBOL
Referees
1. Fernando Rapallini (ARG)
2. Facundo Tello (ARG)

Assistant Referees
1. Juan Belatti (ARG)
2. Diego Bonfa (ARG)
3. Ezequiel Brailovsky (ARG)
4. Gabriel Chade (ARG)

Video Assistant Referee

1. Mauro Vigliano (ARG)

UEFA
Referees
1. Michael Oliver (ENG)
2. Antonio Mateu Lahoz (ESP)
3. Stephanie Frappart (FRA)
4. Clement Turpin (FRA)

Assistant Referees
1. Simon Bennett (ENG)
2. Stuart Burt (ENG)
3. Pau Cebrian Devis (ESP)
4. Roberto Diaz Perez (ESP)
5. Nicolas Danos (FRA)
6. Cyril Gringore (FRA)

Video Assistant Referees

1. Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea (ESP)

2. Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez (ESP)

3. Juan Martinez Munuera (ESP)

4. Jerome Brisard (FRA)

5. Benoit Millot (FRA)

FIFA World Cup 2022 – Quarter-finals (Matches 59-60)

10 December 2022

Morocco – Portugal
Referee: Facundo Tello (ARG, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Ezequiel Brailovsky (ARG)
Assistant Referee 2: Gabriel Chade (ARG)
Fourth Official: Ivan Barton (SLV)
Reserve AR: David Moran (SLV)
VAR: Mauro Vigliano (ARG)
AVAR: Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea (ESP)
OVAR: Diego Bonfa (ARG)
SVAR: Armando Villarreal (USA)
SAVAR: Juan Belatti (ARG)

England – France
Referee: Wilton Sampaio (BRA)
Assistant Referee 1: Bruno Boschilia (BRA)
Assistant Referee 2: Bruno Pires (BRA)
Fourth Official: Abdulla Mohammed (UAE)
Reserve AR: Mohamed Al-Hammadi (UAE)
VAR: Nicolas Gallo (COL)
AVAR: Juan Martinez Munuera (ESP)
OVAR: Neuza Back (BRA)
SVAR: Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez (ESP)
SAVAR: Ciro Carbone (ITA)

FIFA World Cup 2022 – Quarter-finals (Matches 57-58)

9 December 2022

Croatia – Brazil
Referee: Michael Oliver (ENG, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Stuart Burt (ENG)
Assistant Referee 2: Gary Beswick (ENG)
Fourth Official: Mustapha Ghorbal (ALG)
Reserve AR: Abdelhak Etchiali (ALG)
VAR: Pol Van Boekel (NED)
AVAR: Massimiliano Irrati (ITA)
OVAR: Kathryn Nesbitt (USA)
SVAR: Juan Soto (VEN)
SAVAR: Mokrane Gourari (ALG)

Netherlands – Argentina
Referee: Antonio Mateu Lahoz (ESP)
Assistant Referee 1: Pau Cebrian Devis (ESP)
Assistant Referee 2: Roberto Diaz Perez (ESP)
Fourth Official: Victor Gomes (RSA)
Reserve AR: Kyle Atkins (USA)
VAR: Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez (ESP)
AVAR: Drew Fischer (CAN)
OVAR: Alessandro Giallatini (ITA)
SVAR: Julio Bascunan (CHI)
SAVAR: Corey Parker (USA)