Concacaf Gold Cup 2023 – Group Stage (Matches 10-17)

24 June 2023

USA – Jamaica
Referee: Cesar Ramos (MEX, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Alberto Morin (MEX)
Assistant Referee 2: Marco Bisguerra (MEX)
Fourth Official: Fernando Guerrero (MEX)
VAR: Erick Miranda (MEX)
AVAR: Jorge Perez (MEX)

25 June 2023
Trinidad and Tobago – St. Kitts and Nevis
Referee: Said Martinez (HON)
Assistant Referee 1: Walter Lopez (HON)
Assistant Referee 1: Christian Ramirez (HON)
Fourth Official: Keylor Herrera (CRC)
VAR: Melissa Borjas (HON)
AVAR: Ismael Cornejo (SLV)

Haiti – Qatar
Referee: Daneon Parchment (JAM)
Assistant Referee 1: Caleb Wales (TRI)
Assistant Referee 2: Ojay Duhaney (JAM)
Fourth Official: Reon Radix (GRN)
VAR: Ricardo Montero (CRC)
AVAR: Benjamin Pineda (CRC)

Mexico – Honduras
Referee: Mario Escobar (GUA)
Assistant Referee 1: Luis Ventura (GUA)
Assistant Referee 2: Humberto Panjoj (GUA)
Fourth Official: Bryan Lopez (GUA)
VAR: Timothy Ford (USA)
AVAR: Allen Chapman (USA)

26 June 2023
El Salvador – Martinique
Referee: Adonai Escobedo (MEX)
Assistant Referee 1: Christian Espinosa (MEX)
Assistant Referee 2: Karen Diaz (MEX)
Fourth Official: Randy Encarnation (DOM)
VAR: Guillermo Pacheco (MEX)
AVAR: Luis Santander (MEX)

Costa Rica – Panama
Referee: Drew Fischer (CAN)
Assistant Referee 1: Kathryn Nesbitt (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: Michael Barwegen (CAN)
Fourth Official: Joseph Dickerson (USA)
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic (USA)
AVAR: Chris Penso (USA)

27 June 2023
Canada – Guadeloupe
Referee: Rubiel Vazquez (USA)
Assistant Referee 1: Corey Parker (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: Kyle Atkins (USA)
Fourth Official: Keylor Herrera (CRC)
VAR: Jorge Perez (MEX)
AVAR: Erick Miranda (MEX)

Guatemala – Cuba
Referee: Oshane Nation (JAM)
Assistant Referee 1: Zachari Zeegelaar (SUR)
Assistant Referee 2: Jassett Kerr-Wilson (JAM)
Fourth Official: Randy Encarnation (DOM)
VAR: Ismael Cornejo (SLV)
AVAR: Melissa Borjas (HON)

UEFA U-21 Euro 2023 – Group Stage (Matches 9-16)

24 June 2023

Portugal – Netherlands
Referee: Horațiu Feşnic (ROU, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Valentin Avram (ROU)
Assistant Referee 2: Alexandru Cerei (ROU)
Fourth Official: Juxhin Xhaja (ALB)
Referee Observer: Antonio Damato (ITA)

Georgia – Belgium
Referee: Duje Strukan (CRO)
Assistant Referee 1: Bojan Zobenica (CRO)
Assistant Referee 2: Alen Jakšić (CRO)
Fourth Official: Willy Delajod (FRA)
Referee Observer: Terje Hauge (NOR)

Romania – Ukraine
Referee: Morten Krogh (DEN)
Assistant Referee 1: Steffen Bramsen (DEN)
Assistant Referee 2: Dennis Rasmussen (DEN)
Fourth Official: Sebastian Gishamer (AUT)
Referee Observer: Björn Kuipers (NED)

Spain – Croatia
Referee: Allard Lindhout (NED)
Assistant Referee 1: Rogier Honig (NED)
Assistant Referee 2: Patrick Inia (NED)
Fourth Official: Joao Pinheiro (POR)
Referee Observer: Kyros Vassaras (GRE)

25 June 2023
Czechia – Germany
Referee: Espen Eskas (NOR)
Assistant Referee 1: Jan Engan (NOR)
Assistant Referee 2: Isaak Bashevkin (NOR)
Fourth Official: Aliyar Aghayev (AZE)
Referee Observer: Darko Čeferin (SVN)

England – Israel
Referee: Rade Obrenovič (SVN)
Assistant Referee 1: Grega Kordež (SVN)
Assistant Referee 2: Aleksandar Kasapovič (SVN)
Fourth Official: Goga Kikacheishvili (GEO)
Referee Observer: Carlos Velasco Carballo (ESP)

Switzerland – Italy
Referee: Mohammed Al-Hakim (SWE)
Assistant Referee 1: Fredrik Klyver (SWE)
Assistant Referee 2: Max Wilde (SWE)
Fourth Official: Andrei Chivulete (ROU)
Referee Observer: Haim Jakov (ISR)

Norway – France
Referee: Donatas Rumšas (LTU)
Assistant Referee 1: Aleksandr Radius (LTU)
Assistant Referee 2: Dovydas Sužiedėlis (LTU)
Fourth Official: Erik Lambrechts (BEL)
Referee Observer: Nuno Castro (POR)

Chenard: The "professional adventurer" starring in a new role

A lot of us have ideas about how we’ll happily retire after a long working life. This also applies to professional footballers and referees. As the years tick by, thoughts about retiring from active sports become more pressing. However, fate can sometimes intervene and usher in involuntary retirement, as was the case with Carol Anne Chenard. "My cancer diagnosis and missing [France] 2019 ended my on-field career – not in the way that I had envisioned. It wasn’t how I thought my career would end," says the Canadian. "While I was undergoing treatment, I was trying to stay involved in the game. By that time, I wanted to get back on the pitch, but I didn’t know what my prognosis was at the time. Concacaf, FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association let me continue to do some training. That’s what kept me close and involved. When I knew that I couldn't come back on the playing field, I was really struggling with what my next steps were. Am I going to become an instructor? What do I want to do? The playing field and the referees are really close to my heart. I wasn't quite ready to step away and I was provided this opportunity."

The opportunity that the 46-year-old is referring to came about in January this year, when FIFA announced the names of the match officials for the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023. The list included 19 video assistant referees (VARs) and, for the first time, six women – one of whom was Chenard. "I'm really proud to come back. VAR is now a new option which we didn’t have five years ago. It really provided me an opportunity to continue to use my experience that I had from tournaments. It allows me to support referees and to still participate closer to the pitch than if I was an instructor. But to be a part of a group of video match officials and be able to contribute and support the young referees that are coming up, is really special for me."

Chenard's path to becoming a Video Match Official (VMO) began by training with the PRO (Professional Referee Organization), a professional US-Canadian refereeing organization that supports the MLS (Major League Soccer) and NWSL (National Women's Soccer League). This was followed by practice matches, work in the MLS on a probationary basis for a year and then regularly, as well as matches in the NWSL. Then came her nomination as a video assistant referee for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup 2022 in India, including the final on 30 October 2022. "I’ve done about 50 matches now overall in the last three years. Obviously, I was able to progress and get my FIFA certification after having some experience and doing some matches. It’s different than being on the field. There’s pressure on you because you’re looking at things on a video and can watch replays, whereas as a referee you don't get that opportunity. People are a little bit more accepting when you make a mistake," she explains. "As a VMO, you have to be able to look at the video, analyse the considerations quickly and then decide. It’s very easy in the video operating room to get stuck in a loop; but you really have to be able to take the considerations that we all learn as referees, assistant referees, referees on the field, watch them, understand what angles you need, but then you also have to be able to make the decision. One of my strengths is, because I was a top-level referee, that I am able to pull the plug and make the decision. Obviously, the correct outcome is what you want, but we don't want every video reviewed to take five minutes. That's not the intent for the game."

Football has played a major role in Chenard's return in a new role to the showpiece event of the women’s game. It gave her strength in the fight against the unknown. Early on in her refereeing career, she learned to control what can be controlled, and this was the approach she took when she received her cancer diagnosis. "I tried not to worry about the things I didn't know. It is very difficult when you are waiting for your diagnosis and waiting to find out what the plan is. Once I had a plan in place for me, it made a huge difference. I’m very action oriented," says this impressive, driven woman. "My first chemo was on the kick-off date of the 2019 Women’s World Cup, June 7. I did my chemo and watched the opening game, which in my heart was the game I wanted to do. The day I got diagnosed I knew I was going to miss France. In my head I said: I'm going to Tokyo; my goal is [the Olympic Football Tournament in] Tokyo. This was before I knew what I was in for, how my body would react. I think sometimes when you have a goal, which is what I learned in soccer as well, you can work towards it. I think controlling what I can control, surrounding myself with great people, having this goal and keeping my eye on some kind of a target was really helpful for me." This ‘professional adventurer’, as Chenard describes herself on her Twitter account, still has one goal firmly in her sights even after the showpiece event of women's football. "Football has allowed me to see the world. When I was skating, I was able to travel and see the world, but football has really allowed me to go to almost every corner of the world and meet people. I want to continue that. I've never been to Australia – it’s one of the few places I haven’t been to. I’m really looking forward to our time there and then I'm going to continue travelling, meeting people, young referees, young kids, going to schools and encouraging people to see the world."

Source: FIFA

UEFA U-21 Euro 2023 – Group Stage (Matches 1-8)

21 June 2023

Georgia – Portugal
Referee: Espen Eskas (NOR, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Jan Engan (NOR)
Assistant Referee 2: Isaak Bashevkin (NOR)
Fourth Official: Juxhin Xhaja (ALB)
Referee Observer: Antonio Damato (ITA)

Belgium – Netherlands
Referee: Aliyar Aghayev (AZE)
Assistant Referee 1: Zeynal Zeynalov (AZE)
Assistant Referee 2: Akif Amirali (AZE)
Fourth Official: Rade Obrenovič (SVN)
Referee Observer: Darko Čeferin (SVN)

Ukraine – Croatia
Referee: Mohammed Al-Hakim (SWE)
Assistant Referee 1: Fredrik Klyver (SWE)
Assistant Referee 2: Max Wilde (SWE)
Fourth Official: Andrei Chivulete (ROU)
Referee Observer: Kyros Vassaras (GRE)

Romania – Spain
Referee: Erik Lambrechts (BEL)
Assistant Referee 1: Jo De Weirdt (BEL)
Assistant Referee 2: Kevin Monteny (BEL)
Fourth Official: Donatas Rumšas (LTU)
Referee Observer: Nuno Castro (POR)

22 June 2023
Czechia – England
Referee: Horațiu Feşnic (ROU)
Assistant Referee 1: Valentin Avram (ROU)
Assistant Referee 2: Alexandru Cerei (ROU)
Fourth Official: Goga Kikacheishvili (GEO)
Referee Observer: Carlos Velasco Carballo (ESP)

Germany – Israel
Referee: Willy Delajod (FRA)
Assistant Referee 1: Erwan Finjean (FRA)
Assistant Referee 2: Cyril Mugnier (FRA)
Fourth Official: Duje Strukan (CRO)
Referee Observer: Terje Hauge (NOR)

Norway – Switzerland
Referee: Joao Pinheiro (POR)
Assistant Referee 1: Bruno Jesus (POR)
Assistant Referee 2: Luciano Maia (POR)
Fourth Official: Sebastian Gishamer (AUT)
Referee Observer: Augustus Constantin (ROU)

France – Italy
Referee: Allard Lindhout (NED)
Assistant Referee 1: Rogier Honig (NED)
Assistant Referee 2: Patrick Inia (NED)
Fourth Official: Morten Krogh (DEN)
Referee Observer: Haim Jakov (ISR)

CONMEBOL Beach Soccer Libertadores 2023

Chile, 18-25 June 2023

Referees

1. Mariano Romo (ARG, photo)
2. Carlos Maidana (ARG)
3. Luis Mojica (BOL)
4. Jose Mendoza (BOL)
5. Lucas Estevao (BRA)
6. Luciano Andrade (BRA)
7. Jorge Gomez (COL)
8. Adanes Pino (COL)
9. Cristian Galaz (CHI)
10. Ricardo Zuniga (CHI)
11. Javier Marcillo (ECU)
12. Brandon Amay (ECU)
13. Alex Valdiviezo (PER)
14. Micke Palomino (PER)
15. Ramon Blanco (PER)
16. Christian Altez (URU)
17. Aecio Fernandez (URU)
18. Pablo Cadenasso (URU)
19. Diomar Aguana (VEN)
20. Darwin Bustos (VEN)

Concacaf Gold Cup 2023 – Preliminary Round (Matches 7-9)

20 June 2023

Guadeloupe – Guyana
Referee: Oshane Nation (JAM, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Zachari Zeegelaar (SUR)
Assistant Referee 2: Jassett Kerr-Wilson (JAM)
Fourth Official: Joseph Dickerson (USA)
VAR: Chris Penso (USA)
AVAR: Edvin Jurisevic (USA)

Martinique – Puerto Rico
Referee: Rubiel Vazquez (USA)
Assistant Referee 1: Corey Parker (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: Kyle Atkins (USA)
Fourth Official: Randy Encarnacion (DOM)
VAR: Luis Santander (MEX)
AVAR: Jorge Perez (MEX)

Saint Kitts and Nevis – French Guiana
Referee: Adonai Escobedo (MEX)
Assistant Referee 1: Christian Espinosa (MEX)
Assistant Referee 2: Karen Diaz (MEX)
Fourth Official: Keylor Herrera (CRC)
VAR: Melissa Borjas (HON)
AVAR: Erick Miranda (MEX)

CONMEBOL Futsal U-17 Copa America 2023

Paraguay, 17-25 June 2023

Referees

1. Dario Santamaria (ARG, photo)
2. Estefania Pinto (ARG)
3. Fernando Zylberberg (ARG)
4. Henry Gutierrez (BOL)
5. Juan Villarroel (BOL)
6. Alfredo Wagner (BRA)
7. Flavio Marquez (BRA)
8. Christian Espindola (CHI)
9. Rodrigo Concha (CHI)
10. Valeria Palma (CHI)
11. Yuri Garcia (COL)
12. Rolando Bermudez (COL)
13. Jonathan Herbas (ECU)
14. Daniel Villacis (ECU)
15. Gerson Ceron (PER)
16. Alejandro Villanueva (PER)
17. Daniel Rodriguez (URU)
18. Diego Etcheverry (URU)
19. Jose Villar (VEN)
20. Felix Rumbos (VEN)

UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifiers (Matchday 4)

19 June 2023

France – Greece
Referee: Antonio Mateu Lahoz (ESP, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Pau Cebrian Devis (ESP)
Assistant Referee 2: Roberto Diaz Perez (ESP)
Fourth Official: Jose Munuera Montero (ESP)
VAR: Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea (ESP)
AVAR: Javier Alberola Rojas (ESP)
Referee Observer: Stephen Lodge (ENG)

Ukraine – Malta
Referee: Ruddy Buquet (FRA)
Assistant Referee 1: Nicolas Danos (FRA)
Assistant Referee 2: Aurelien Drouet (FRA)
Fourth Official: Bastien Dechepy (FRA)
VAR: Benoît Millot (FRA)
AVAR: Eric Wattellier (FRA)
Referee Observer: Erol Ersoy (TUR)

Armenia – Latvia
Referee: Peter Kralović (SVK)
Assistant Referee 1: Milan Štrbo (SVK)
Assistant Referee 2: Tomaš Vorel (SVK)
Fourth Official: Martin Dohal (SVK)
VAR: Sören Storks (GER)
AVAR: Pascal Müller (GER)
Referee Observer: Michael Argyrou (CYP)

Finland – San Marino
Referee: Genc Nuza (KOS)
Assistant Referee 1: Fatlum Berisha (KOS)
Assistant Referee 2: Bujar Selimaj (KOS)
Fourth Official: Visar Kastrati (KOS)
VAR: Ivan Bebek (CRO)
AVAR: Dario Bel (CRO)
Referee Observer: Ladislav Gadosi (SVK)

Ireland – Gibraltar
Referee: Marian Barbu (ROU)
Assistant Referee 1: Mihai Marica (ROU)
Assistant Referee 2: Imre Bucsi (ROU)
Fourth Official: Sebastian Coltescu (ROU)
VAR: Ovidiu Hategan (ROU)
AVAR: Cătălin Popa (ROU)
Referee Observer: Uno Tutk (EST)

England – North Macedonia
Referee: Istvan Kovacs (ROU)
Assistant Referee 1: Vasile Marinescu (ROU)
Assistant Referee 2: Ovidiu Artene (ROU)
Fourth Official: Radu Petrescu (ROU)
VAR: Pol van Boekel (NED)
AVAR: Jeroen Manschot (NED)
Referee Observer: Markus Strömbergsson (SWE)

Turkey – Wales
Referee: Fabio Maresca (ITA)
Assistant Referee 1: Daniele Bindoni (ITA)
Assistant Referee 2: Alberto Tegoni (ITA)
Fourth Official: Luca Massimi (ITA)
VAR: Massimiliano Irrati (ITA)
AVAR: Gianluca Aureliano (ITA)
Referee Observer: Lucilio Batista (POR)

Northern Ireland – Kazakhstan
Referee: Roi Reinshreiber (ISR)
Assistant Referee 1: David Biton (ISR)
Assistant Referee 2: Sagy Metzamber (ISR)
Fourth Official: Snir Levy (ISR)
VAR: Orel Grinfeeld (ISR)
AVAR: David Fuxman (ISR)
Referee Observer: Lassin Isaksen (FRO)

Slovenia – Denmark
Referee: François Letexier (FRA)
Assistant Referee 1: Hicham Zakrani (FRA)
Assistant Referee 2: Mehdi Rahmouni (FRA)
Fourth Official: Jeremy Stinat (FRA)
VAR: Jerôme Brisard (FRA)
AVAR: Jeremie Pignard (FRA)
Referee Observer: Fritz Stuchlik (AUT)

Switzerland – Romania
Referee: Daniele Orsato (ITA)
Assistant Referee 1: Ciro Carbone (ITA)
Assistant Referee 2: Alessandro Giallatini (ITA)
Fourth Official: Andrea Colombo (ITA)
VAR: Maurizio Mariani (ITA)
AVAR: Luca Pairetto (ITA)
Referee Observer: Juan Fernandez Marin (ESP)

Israel – Andorra
Referee: Dragomir Draganov (BUL)
Assistant Referee 1: Martin Venev (BUL)
Assistant Referee 2: Hristo Hadzhiyski (BUL)
Fourth Official: Nikola Popov (BUL)
VAR: Michael Fabbri (ITA)
AVAR: Ivaylo Stoyanov (BUL)
Referee Observer: Georgios Bikas (GRE)

Belarus – Kosovo
Referee: Julian Weinberger (AUT)
Assistant Referee 1: Andreas Heidenreich (AUT)
Assistant Referee 2: Sara Telek (AUT)
Fourth Official: Alexander Harkam (AUT)
VAR: Christian Dingert (GER)
AVAR: Alan Kijas (AUT)
Referee Observer: Christopher Lautier (MLT)

20 June 2023
Scotland – Georgia
Referee: Istvan Vad (HUN)
Assistant Referee 1: Vencel Toth (HUN)
Assistant Referee 2: Istvan Albert (HUN)
Fourth Official: Ferenc Karako (HUN)

VAR: Bartosz Frankowski (POL)

AVAR: Tamas Bognar (HUN)

Referee Observer: Edward Foley (IRL)

Norway – Cyprus
Referee: Aleksandar Stavrev (MKD)
Assistant Referee 1: Goce Petreski (MKD)
Assistant Referee 2: Kushtrim Lika (MKD)
Fourth Official: Igor Stojchevski (MKD)

VAR: Paolo Valeri (ITA)

AVAR: Mario Zebec (CRO)

Referee Observer: Gylfi Orrason (ISL)

Moldova – Poland
Referee: Filip Glova (SVK)
Assistant Referee 1: Daniel Polacek (SVK)
Assistant Referee 2: Peter Bednar (SVK)
Fourth Official: Kristian Michel (SVK)

VAR: Luis Godinho (POR)

AVAR: Michal Ocenas (SVK)

Referee Observer: Helmut Fleischer (GER)

Faroe Islands – Albania
Referee: Chrysovalantis Theouli (CYP)
Assistant Referee 1: Michael Soteriou (CYP)
Assistant Referee 2: Pavlos Georgiou (CYP)
Fourth Official: Menelaos Antoniou (CYP)

VAR: Angelos Evangelou (GRE)

AVAR: Dimitris Solomou (CYP)

Referee Observer: Stefan Johannesson (SWE)

Austria – Sweden
Referee: Marco Guida (ITA)
Assistant Referee 1: Giorgio Peretti (ITA)
Assistant Referee 2: Davide Imperiale (ITA)
Fourth Official: Giovanni Ayroldi (ITA)

VAR: Marco Di Bello (ITA)

AVAR: Aleandro Di Paolo (ITA)

Referee Observer: Pascal Garibian (FRA)

Estonia – Belgium
Referee: John Beaton (SCO)
Assistant Referee 1: Daniel McFarlane (SCO)
Assistant Referee 2: Douglas Potter (SCO)
Fourth Official: Matthew MacDermid (SCO)

VAR: David Coote (ENG)

AVAR: Nicholas Walsh (SCO)

Referee Observer: Stefano Podeschi (SMR)

Hungary – Lithuania
Referee: Antonio Nobre (POR)
Assistant Referee 1: Pedro Ribeiro (POR)
Assistant Referee 2: Tiago Costa (POR)
Fourth Official: Andre Narciso (POR)

VAR: Tiago Martins (POR)

AVAR: Fabio Melo (POR)

Referee Observer: Domenico Messina (ITA)

Bulgaria – Serbia
Referee: Craig Pawson (ENG)
Assistant Referee 1: Ian Hussin (ENG)
Assistant Referee 2: James Mainwaring (ENG)
Fourth Official: Robert Jones (ENG)

VAR: Christopher Kavanagh (ENG)

AVAR: Jarred Gillett (ENG)

Referee Observer: Orhan Erdemir (TUR)

Iceland – Portugal
Referee: Daniel Siebert (GER)
Assistant Referee 1: Jan Seidel (GER)
Assistant Referee 2: Rafael Foltyn (GER)
Fourth Official: Daniel Schlager (GER)
VAR: Bastian Dankert (GER)
AVAR: Benjamin Brand (GER)
Referee Observer: Stephen Tanner (ENG)

Bosnia and Herzegovina – Luxembourg
Referee: Gal Leibovitz (ISR)
Assistant Referee 1: Rostislav Talis (ISR)
Assistant Referee 2: Omer Barbiro (ISR)
Fourth Official: Nael Odeh (ISR)

VAR: Ziv Adler (ISR)

AVAR: Eli Hacmon (ISR)

Referee Observer: Leslie Irvine (NIR)

Liechtenstein – Slovakia
Referee: Yigal Frid (ISR)
Assistant Referee 1: Matityahu Yakobov (ISR)
Assistant Referee 2: Yossi Babayoff (ISR)
Fourth Official: Idan Leiba (ISR)

VAR: Daniel Natan (ISR)

AVAR: Eitan Shmuelevitz (ISR)

Referee Observer: Michael Johansen (DEN)

Concacaf Nations League Final 2023: Martinez (HON)

18 June 2023

Final
Canada – USA

Referee: Said Martinez (HON, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Walter Lopez (HON)
Assistant Referee 2: Christian Ramirez (HON)
Fourth Official: Selvin Brown (HON)
VAR: Ricardo Montero (CRC)
AVAR: Benjamin Pineda (CRC)

Match for Third Plaxce
Panama – Mexico
Referee: Daneon Parchment (JAM)
Assistant Referee 1: Ojay Duhaney (JAM)
Assistant Referee 2: Caleb Wales (TRI)
Fourth Official: Ismael Cornejo (SLV)
VAR: Tatiana Guzman (NCA)
AVAR: Shirley Perello (HON)

UEFA Nations League Final 2023: Zwayer (GER)

‘Good things come to those who wait,’ as the saying goes. A career path that began at the tender age of 13 will reach a new peak for German referee Felix Zwayer when he takes charge of Sunday’s UEFA Nations League final. Three decades of refereeing will doubtless stand the 42-year-old Berlin-born match official in good stead when he manages the crunch encounter between Croatia and Spain at the Stadion Feijenoord in Rotterdam – and Zwayer is confident that he is in prime shape to handle one of European national team football’s biggest occasions. “I’m extremely happy that UEFA has put its trust in me, and I feel that I’m ready for this match,” he told UEFA.com. “It’s a big game, the latest in a series of finals that have been taking place in recent weeks. I’m very proud to have the chance to hopefully perform as well as the referees that have taken charge of the other finals.”

Early fascination

Zwayer has travelled a long road in refereeing, setting off on his adventure just as he entered his teens. “I was a player, and I attended an indoor football tournament,” he recalled. “I was immediately fascinated by the two guys who were in charge of matches. I went straight home and told my parents that I wanted to be a referee. I started doing research and found out that the minimum age to become a referee at that time was 14. I was disappointed at this because I still had a little time to wait. My elder brother had already reached that age, and he had started refereeing. I wrote a letter to my local federation asking about the possibility to start a little earlier. Happily, they accepted my request – and I was hooked immediately.” Zwayer’s path that would eventually lead him to the top began with youth matches before he graduated to refereeing adult football games at the age of 17. He rose gradually through the amateur and semi-professional ranks, arriving in Germany’s second division in 2007. Two years later, the door opened onto the German top-flight Bundesliga, and his international badge followed in 2012. Key domestic and international assignments have followed over the years, including the 2018 German Cup final between Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt – doubly special because the match took place in Zwayer’s hometown Berlin’s Olympiastadion, as well as on his 37th birthday.

'You must nurture your own style'

‘Be yourself’ is Zwayer’s recipe for success. “You must nurture your own style and be able to fit your refereeing to your personality,” he said. “And in developing your own style, it’s important that you have people around you who believe in you and are ready to support your development along your career path. You move step by step and set goals when it’s necessary.” He agrees that being a referee provides crucial tools to deal with life and its various facets. “All the skills you learn as a referee can be used in your private life and your job,” he emphasised. “I’ve been able to make good use of all the experiences I’ve had over 30 years.” Zwayer deploys such skills in professional life outside of football as a real estate manager in a company that he owns with three partners. “I do enjoy the chance of going to our office and being involved in this other part of my life,” he said. Zwayer will be accompanied in the Netherlands on Sunday by assistant referees and compatriots Stefan Lupp and Marco Achmüller, as well as fourth official Ivan Kruzliak (Slovakia). The video assistant referee (VAR) team will be headed by Marco Fritz (Germany), alongside two assistant VARs, Sven Jablonski (Germany) and Stuart Attwell (England). “It’s not possible for a referee to officiate on his own. Given all of the decisions that have to be taken in a match, you need your team alongside you,” Zwayer reflected. “And referees’ teamwork is not just a matter of taking decisions – it’s also about giving each other confidence, advice and support in difficult situations. You must all be on the same wavelength.” The experienced referee team for Sunday’s encounter in Rotterdam began their preparations for the final well in advance. “We studied the teams in the semi-finals,” Zwayer said. “Players, performances, tactics, all possible aspects – this means, for example, that we’ll be fully aware of what might change for a team between the semi-final and the final. I actually love to go to the stadium for the pre-match training session. You get used to the venue and its environment, the people working there, the facilities. It means that as you get closer to the kick-off on the day, you’re already tuned in about what to expect. Then, in the dressing room, my assistants and I will prepare for the match in whatever way is best for each of us. We know each other extremely well because we’ve worked together for a long time. Each of us knows how the other is feeling or what to say at a given moment. I personally like to put on headphones and listen to music in the dressing room – and that’s also because my colleagues don’t particularly like the music that I like to listen to!”

‘No doors are closed’

While sharpening his focus on the duties ahead, Zwayer will be determined to enjoy the instant as Sunday’s kick-off becomes imminent. “When you line up with the teams,” he said, “It’s important to feel the joy, pride and passion, to savour the achievement of being there. I know that I will also think of my family, because they always give me the strength to do my very best.” Quality time with his wife and their two daughters aged five and two helps Zwayer relax at home. A lover of all sports, a keen badminton player and an enthusiastic cook, he also appreciates a wide range of music – and particularly relishes the special atmosphere of open-air concerts. “They’re very similar to big football matches in many ways,” he explained. “A large audience, the atmosphere building up, the anticipation of a special moment to come… and then the performance finally happens.” The assignment for Sunday’s final at Rotterdam’s famous ‘De Kuip’ is helping Felix Zwayer envisage new horizons while keeping his feet firmly planted on the ground. “You never know what’s going to happen,” he said. “It’s important to go from match to match. I’ve had good times and bad times as a referee, but I’ve always managed to bounce back after disappointments. When you get to high levels as a referee, you dream of taking part in major tournaments, and there’s a big event just around the corner – Euro 2024 in my country next summer. I will continue to do my best and give my all, and I hope that my performances might make me one of the candidates for selection. The appointment for the Nations League final is definitely an important step for me – because it shows that no doors are closed to me for the future.” (Source: UEFA)

18 June 2023

Final
Croatia – Spain
Referee: Felix Zwayer (GER, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Stefan Lupp (GER)
Assistant Referee 2: Marco Achmüller (GER)
Fourth Official: Ivan Kružliak (SVK)
VAR: Marco Fritz (GER)
AVAR 1: Sven Jablonski (GER)
AVAR 2: Stuart Attwell (ENG)
Referee Observer: Markus Nobs (SUI)

Match for Third Place
Netherlands – Italy
Referee: Glenn Nyberg (SWE)
Assistant Referee 1: Mahbod Beigi (SWE)
Assistant Referee 2: Andreas Söderqvist (SWE)
Fourth Official: Kristo Tohver (EST)
VAR: Bartosz Frankowski (POL)
AVAR: Pawel Pskit (POL)
Referee Observer: Leslie Irvine (NIR)