Matthew Conger attended the 2018 World Cup in Russia and was selected for his second World Cup in Qatar 2022 as OFC referee from New Zealand.
Earlier this year, he moved back temporary to his native USA and requested permission to referee in the Major League Soccer (MLS). “I was born in Dallas and grew up here in Athens where I played soccer from a young age. I began refereeing with USSF and GA Soccer when I was 15 years old. I attained a Grade 7 badge before deciding to study and work abroad when I was 18. I maintained my referee certification throughout the next few years, refereeing locally, as well as in Denmark where I lived for a year. Here, I met my wife Sharon and moved to New Zealand where I immediately began refereeing on the New Zealand Football National League. We subsequently moved back to the US for about three years, during which time I represented Region 3 at Youth Regionals and US Youth Nationals. In 2006, we made the decision to move our family back to New Zealand where I completed my Bachelor of Education (Teaching), taught full-time for eight years, raised our four children and refereed on the New Zealand National League, Australian A-League and in 2013 was promoted to the FIFA Referee panel. Since then I’ve had the privilege of refereeing around the globe in various competitions and professional leagues. I have been honored to referee at nine FIFA tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 and I am a candidate to referee at Doha 2022 this November/December. My current return to Athens is due in part to the New Zealand border restrictions in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. I needed to be based where I could easily access international travel and have access to the highest-level matches possible as I prepare for the World Cup. More personally, it is a sense of deep connection to being a US citizen and my US Soccer referee heritage that makes my involvement in the game here in Georgia and across the country very significant in the build up to Doha. I am incredibly grateful for the support of the PSRA board and their recognition of my desire to work alongside the professional and wider referee community here in the US/Canada in a collegial and supportive manner”, wrote Conger in a letter addressed to the Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA). His request was accepted and recently he started refereeing in the MLS. Last weekend, Conger was initially appointed as fourth official but ended up refereeing Real Salt Lake - FC Dallas, as a last-minute replacement for Lukasz Szpala. His first officially appointed match as MLS referee will be this coming Saturday, Charlotte FC - Columbus Crew.
Source: BigSoccer