With less than three months to go before the FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil 2019 kicks off, the FIFA Referees Committee has appointed 20 trios of match officials, 5 support referees and 17 video assistant referees (VARs), representing all six confederations. This competition in Brazil will give ambitious FIFA referees the opportunity to showcase their quality while taking another big step in their careers. Referee preparation for the prestigious youth competition will be organized by the FIFA Refereeing Department and will focus on a wide range of topics, including officials’ reading of the game, football understanding, positioning to adjudge offside, teamwork, good decision-making, and the importance of taking up the best position or angle - i.e. being in the right place at the right time. All of these aspects reflect the philosophy of FIFA Refereeing and are key to referee preparation. As such, they are vital to the attainment of consistency and uniformity at elite level of refereeing. Following on from the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017, where Switzerland’s Esther Staubli officiated one game, FIFA has again selected female referees for a men’s tournament. Claudia Umpierrez and Luciana Mascarana from Uruguay will team up with Monica Amboya from Ecuador to form a trio during the tournament, while Edina Alves from Brazil has been appointed as a support referee. In addition, Bibiana Steinhaus (Germany) and Quetzalli Alvarado (Mexico) have been named among the VARs for this competition. The FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil 2019 will take place in Brasilia (Gama), Goiania and Vitoria (Cariacica) between 26 October and 17 November 2019. The final will be played at the Estadio Bezerrao in Brasilia on 17 November. (Source: FIFA)
AFC
Referee: Khamis Al Marri (QAT, 1984, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Mohammad Dharman (QAT, 1982)
Assistant Referee 2: Ramzan Al-Naemi (QAT, 1986)
Referee: Christopher Beath (AUS, 1984)
Assistant Referee 1: Anton Shchetinin (AUS, 1986)
Assistant Referee 2: Ashley Beecham (AUS, 1988)
Referee: Ma Ning (CHN, 1979)
Assistant Referee 1: Shi Xiang (CHN, 1980)
Assistant Referee 2: Cao Yi (CHN, 1982)
Video Assistant Referees
1. Yaqoub Al-Hammadi (UAE, 1981)
2. Abdulla Al-Marri (QAT, 1992)
3. Hiroyuki Kimura (JPN, 1982)
Support Referee
Ko Hyung Jin (KOR, 1982)
CAF
Referee: Victor Gomes (RSA, 1982)
Assistant Referee 1: Souru Phatsoane (LES, 1988)
Assistant Referee 2: Lionel Hasinjarasoa (MAD, 1988)
Referee: Redouane Jiyed (MAR, 1979)
Assistant Referee 1: Lahcen Azgaou (MAR, 1986)
Assistant Referee 2: Mustapha Akerkad (MAR, 1989)
Referee: Amin Mohamed (EGY, 1985)
Assistant Referee 1: Attia Amsaaed (LBY, 1980)
Assistant Referee 2: Mohammed Ibrahim (SDN, 1986)
Support Referee
Peter Waweru (KEN, 1982)
CONCACAF
Referee: Ivan Barton (SLV, 1991)
Assistant Referee 1: David Moran (SLV, 1985)
Assistant Referee 2: Zachari Zeegelaar (SUR, 1989)
Referee: Mario Escobar (GUA, 1986)
Assistant Referee 1: Humberto Panjoj (GUA, 1987)
Assistant Referee 2: Nicholas Andersson (JAM, 1983)
Referee: Adonai Escobedo (MEX, 1987)
Assistant Referee 1: William Arrieta (CRC, 1983)
Assistant Referee 2: Michael Barwegen (CAN, 1986)
Video Assistant Referees
1. Quetzalli Alvarado (MEX, 1975)
2. Drew Fischer (CAN, 1980)
3. Armando Villarreal (USA, 1986)
Support Referee
Juan Calderon (CRC, 1987)
CONMEBOL
Referee: Mario Diaz de Vivar (PAR, 1983)
Assistant Referee 1: Milciades Saldivar (PAR, 1981)
Assistant Referee 2: Roberto Canete (PAR, 1985)
Referee: Guillermo Guerrero (ECU, 1985)
Assistant Referee 1: Juan Macias (ECU, 1982)
Assistant Referee 2: Ricardo Baren (ECU, 1985)
Referee: Diego Haro (PER, 1982)
Assistant Referee 1: Victor Raez (PER, 1978)
Assistant Referee 2: Michael Orue (PER, 1985)
Referee: Andres Rojas (COL, 1984)
Assistant Referee 1: Dionisio Ruiz (COL, 1979)
Assistant Referee 2: John Leon (COL, 1985)
Referee: Claudia Umpierrez (URU, 1983)
Assistant Referee 1: Luciana Mascarana (URU, 1981)
Assistant Referee 2: Monica Amboya (ECU, 1982)
Video Assistant Referees
1. German Delfino (ARG, 1978)
2. Nicolas Gallo (COL, 1986)
3. Piero Maza (CHI, 1984)
4. Braulio Machado (BRA, 1979)
Support Referees
1. Edina Alves (BRA, 1980)
2. Ivo Mendez (BOL, 1991)
OFC
Referee: Nicholas Waldron (NZL, 1982)
Assistant Referee 1: Isaac Trevis (NZL, 1989)
Assistant Referee 2: Jeremy Garae (VAN, 1988)
UEFA
Referee: Andreas Ekberg (SWE, 1985)
Assistant Referee 1: Mehmet Culum (SWE, 1983)
Assistant Referee 2: Stefan Hallberg (SWE, 1981)
Referee: Srdjan Jovanovic (SRB, 1986)
Assistant Referee 1: Uros Stojkovic (SRB, 1983)
Assistant Referee 2: Milan Mihajlovic (SRB, 1978)
Referee: Georgi Kabakov (BUL, 1986)
Assistant Referee 1: Martin Margaritov (BUL, 1988)
Assistant Referee 2: Diyan Vilkov (BUL, 1977)
Referee: Istvan Kovacs (ROU, 1984)
Assistant Referee 1: Vasile Marinescu (ROU, 1976)
Assistant Referee 2: Mihai Artene (ROU, 1977)
Referee: Andris Treimanis (LVA, 1985)
Assistant Referee 1: Haralds Gudermanis (LVA, 1979)
Assistant Referee 2: Aleksejs Spasjonnikovs (LVA, 1981)
Video Assistant Referees
1. Luis Godinho (POR, 1985)
2. Ricardo De Burgos Bengoechea (ESP, 1986)
3. Marco Di Bello (ITA, 1981)
4. Bartosz Frankowski (POL, 1986)
5. Dennis Higler (NED, 1985)
6. Craig Pawson (ENG, 1979)
7. Bibiana Steinhaus (GER, 1979)
