Orsato replaced Rocchi as new Serie A referee designator

Daniele Orsato has officially been appointed as the new referee designator for Serie A and Serie B for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons, the AIA have confirmed. Orsato is the replacement for Gianluca Rocchi, who suspended himself back in April after he was placed under investigation for his alleged involvement in sporting fraud and amidst allegations that he had influenced certain VAR decisions. Dino Tommasi has been serving as the interim refereeing chief in the three months since then.

Orsato, 50, is a retired referee who took charge of 290 Serie A matches across his officiating career. His most high-profile match came in the 2020 Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain. He also took charge of the 2024 Champions League semi-final second leg between PSG and Borussia Dortmund, and the 2022 World Cup semi-final between Argentina and Croatia. Orsato took charge of his final Serie A match, between Atalanta and Fiorentina, on June 2, 2024.He served as the AIA (Italian refereeing association) commissioner for the development of refereeing talent from January 2025 and as the referee designator of Serie C for the 2025-26 season. Nicola Rizzoli and Daniele Doveri were among the alternative options to Orsato for the role of Serie A and Serie B referee designator. Doveri, 48, will instead continue to referee for another season. Nicola Ayroldi will serve as the referee designator for Serie C.

Daniele Orsato has set out the approach he wants from his officials as he prepares for his first season as Serie A and Serie B refereeing designator, promising a clear distinction between genuine fouls and incidental contact.According to Corriere dello Sport, the former referee outlined his thinking to Rai Radio 1. “We’ll train to punish fouls, not contact in play,” Orsato said, laying down the guiding principle for the campaign ahead.These are intense days, we’re trying to study the individual profile of every referee. We’re looking for clear guidelines for the young officials, we’ll work on the athletic side and return to being technically strong.” The new designator also touched on two long-running debates in Italian football: the awarding of soft penalties, or ‘rigorini’, and diving. “We’ll follow the rules and work on our mistakes to get as few wrong as possible, the good faith and commitment of my lads will be total,” he said. On simulation, he promised vigilance: “We’ll monitor everything. This is an aspect that is on the decline.” Orsato singled out Maurizio Mariani, the only Italian official at the World Cup, as a benchmark. “He put in three very good performances at the World Cup, he’ll be our guide on the pitch and an example for the younger ones,” he said. Asked about the officiating at the tournament, he was complimentary, praising Slavko Vincic’s display in the final, while sidestepping the Balogun controversy entirely: “I didn’t take an interest in that subject. These are situations bigger than me.” His remarks flesh out the new era of Italian officiating that will also see VAR used to review wrongly awarded corners and second yellow cards next season, a UEFA-inspired shift Orsato has been charged with implementing.

Source: Football Italia

FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup 2026

Poland, 5 - 27 September 2026

AFC
Referee: Asaka Koizumi JPN (photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Riiohlang Dhar IND
Assistant Referee 2: Amal Badhafari UAE

Referee: Casey Reibelt AUS
Assistant Referee 1: Emma Kocbek AUS
Assistant Referee 2: Madelaine Allum AUS

Referee: Kim Yu-Jeong KOR
Assistant Referee 1: Heba Saadieh PLE
Assistant Referee 2: Supawan Hinthong THA

Video Match Official
Sivakorn Pu-Udom THA

CAF
Referee: Shamirah Nabadda UGA
Assistant Referee 1: Fanta Kone MLI
Assistant Referee 1: Fides Bangurambona BDI

Referee: Twanyanyukwa Antsino NAM
Assistant Referee 1: Diana Chikotesha ZAM
Assistant Referee 2: Carine Atemzambong CMR

Video Match Officials
1. Letticia Viana SWZ
2. Maria Rivet MRI
3. Salima Mukansanga RWA

CONCACAF
Referee: Alyssa Pennington USA
Assistant Referee 1: Meghan Mullen USA
Assistant Referee 2: Jassett Kerr-Wilson JAM

Referee: Lizzet Garcia MEX
Assistant Referee 1: Aranza Quero MEX
Assistant Referee 2: Jessica Morales MEX

Referee: Marianela Araya CRC
Assistant Referee 1: Shirley Perello HON
Assistant Referee 2: Lourdes Noriega HON

Referee: Myriam Marcotte CAN
Assistant Referee 1: Gabrielle Lemieux CAN
Assistant Referee 2: Mijensa Rensch SUR

Video Match Officials
1. Diana Perez MEX
2. Ismael Cornejo SLV

CONMEBOL
Referee: Anahi Fernandez URU
Assistant Referee 1: Daiana Fernandez URU
Assistant Referee 2: Sofia Sarzay URU

Referee: Charly Straub BRA
Assistant Referee 1: Fernanda Antunes BRA
Assistant Referee 2: Anne Gomes BRA

Referee: Dione Rissios CHI
Assistant Referee 1: Leslie Vasquez CHI
Assistant Referee 2: Yomara Salazar CHI

Referee: Milagros Arruela PER
Assistant Referee 1: Vera Yupanqui PER
Assistant Referee 2: Mariana Aquino PER

Video Match Officials
1. Maria Daza COL
2. Stefani Escobar VEN
3. Susana Corella ECU
4. Rodrigo Carvajal CHI

UEFA
Referee: Alina Pesu ROU
Assistant Referee 1: Daniela Constantinescu ROU
Assistant Referee 2: Heini Hyvoenen FIN

Referee: Iuliana Demetrescu ROU
Assistant Referee 1: Paulina Baranowska POL
Assistant Referee 2: Irina Pozdejeva LTU

Referee: Maria Ferrieri Caputi ITA
Assistant Referee 1: Stefania Signorelli ITA
Assistant Referee 2: Emily Carney ENG

Referee: Marta Huerta De Aza ESP
Assistant Referee 1: Iragartze Fernandez ESP
Assistant Referee 2: Andreia Sousa POR

Referee: Silvia Gasperotti ITA
Assistant Referee 1: Giulia Tempestilli ITA 

Assistant Referee 2: Svitlana Grushko UKR

Video Match Officials
1. Angelos Evangelou GRE
2. Catarina Ferreira POR
3. Eszter Urban HUN
4. Jelena Jovanovic-Dzajic SRB

World Cup referee Taylor retires: “Intense pressure and constant scrutiny”

Referee Anthony Taylor has announced his retirement with immediate effect, highlighting the impact of the "intense" pressure of the role. Taylor, 47, enjoyed a 20-year career spanning 831 matches, with his final game being Spain's 1-0 win over Portugal in the World Cup last 16 on 6 July. A prison officer before becoming a professional referee, he was first added to the Football League list at the start of the 2006-07 season. Promotion to the Premier League followed in 2010, where he took charge of 432 top-flight matches and officiated every major domestic cup final. In total, he officiated 668 matches in the professional game in England.

"Officiating at the elite level has been an immense privilege, but the pressure is intense and the scrutiny is constant," Taylor said. "The time is now right to step aside and look forward to transitioning to the next chapter of my career." The Wythenshawe-born referee, who had been on FIFA's list of officials for 14 years, was also selected for the 2022 World Cup, and the Euros in 2020 and 2024. In total, he officiated 163 international matches. Taylor was shortlisted to referee the 2022 World Cup final but was discounted because of political tensions between England and finalists Argentina. Howard Webb, chief refereeing officer at Pro Ref, said: "Anthony has been a fantastic servant to the game over many years, both domestically and on the international stage. He has been repeatedly trusted to officiate in the biggest games. We thank him for his immense contribution to the game and wish him every success in the next chapter of his career."

Taylor refereed the 2015 EFL Cup final, with Chelsea beating Tottenham Hotspur 2–0. In 2020, he became the first referee since 1901 to take charge of two FA Cup finals when Arsenal beat Chelsea 2-1. Taylor previously took charge of the 2017 FA Cup final, also a 2-1 win for Arsenal against Chelsea. He also refereed the Community Shield in 2015 and the 2018 Championship play-off final. Taylor received praise for the way he handled the Euro 2020 game between Denmark and Finland, which had to be halted when Christian Eriksen collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest. He has also been appointed to several high-profile UEFA matches, including the 2020 Super Cup final, with Bayern Munich beating Sevilla 2-1, the 2021 Nations League final, in which France beat Spain 2-1, and the 2023 Europa League final which saw Sevilla beat Roma on penalties. Taylor faced a great deal of abuse after the Europa League final but was firmly backed by UEFA referees' chief Roberto Rosetti. Roma boss Jose Mourinho called Taylor a "disgrace" twice in a post-match news conference before confronting him in a car park - an incident the Portuguese was given a four-match ban for. Taylor was then shouted at by angry fans as he walked though Budapest Airport with his family. In October 2025, Taylor spoke to BBC Sport about the impact of that night and the events that followed. "That's the worst situation I've dealt with in terms of abuse," Taylor said. "Not only because I was travelling with family members at the time, but it also highlights the impact of people's behaviour on others. Even in a match like that, where there were actually no major mistakes in the game." Taylor, who also took charge of games at the FIFA Club World Cup in 2022 and 2025, hinted in last October's interview that his career could be coming to an end. "I'm 47 next week, so that's quite old for somebody to be operating at this level, running around after people a lot younger than you," Taylor said. "It's much more of a challenge now to maintain the levels of fitness and to rest and recover." His retirement creates a gap at the top of refereeing in the English game.

Source: BBC

Collina's World Cup: "Technology doesn't kill emotions; it doubles them. The Spider cam? I'll explain..."

The Head of FIFA referees: "Vincic is very good; he reacted to the final appointment just like I did in 2002... We invest millions in technology, hoping it will be 'thrown away', meaning the referee has done well. But it was absurd that fans were watching replays while the match officials weren't."

Pierluigi Collina, the referee. "He's the best in history," say the French from France Football, the Ballon d'Or organisers. He has officiated the most important matches, featuring the strongest players, and finals of all kinds: the Olympics, Champions League, World Cups. Today he is the head of FIFA referees, and 24 years after his Germany-Brazil match, he found himself on the other side, as the person responsible for delivering the best news a colleague will ever receive in their career: "You will referee the World Cup final".

Spain v Argentina, Slavko Vincic to referee. "He's had a very good journey. I'm happy for him, as I am for the others who were here; making a choice wasn't easy". What was it like to announce the referee for a World Cup final for the third time? "Every time I get goosebumps. I know what these men and women have done for years, sacrificing so much, including their families. I expected Vincic's emotion; it was the same I experienced myself".

The World Cup saw several innovations: let's start with the eight seconds allowed to goalkeepers before restarting play? "In certain leagues, they held onto it for more than twenty seconds, an eternity. Referees didn't blow the whistle because the 'penalty' – an indirect free-kick inside the box – was disproportionate to the 'offence'. So, we gave them more time, eight seconds, and they know that if they exceed it, a corner will be awarded. The same applies to throw-ins and goal kicks. There have been few infringements, which demonstrates the positive impact of this introduction, making the game more fluid and enjoyable".

It was the most technological World Cup ever. "Technology was introduced to resolve a paradoxical situation. In the stadium, over 80,000 spectators had the chance to see in real-time what had happened on the pitch, but the only person who couldn't was the one who had to make the decisions... There were two paths: either we created an Amish community inside the stadium where technology was banned, or we gave the same opportunity to the referees. We invest millions, hoping, however, that they will be 'thrown away': that would mean the referees have done a good job and haven't needed it".

How much has the referee's role changed? "From the 90s to today, football has changed. Players are different; the game is played at a much higher speed. And throughout all this, technology has played an important role, including for referees. I remember the Brazil-Germany final; when I asked the local Japanese staff if they could give me VHS tapes with videos of the two teams, they looked at me strangely. Today, there's FIFA AI Pro, developed with Lenovo, which can provide useful information for preparation".

The spider-cam incident in Norway v England was discussed. "It's incredible that people can't be convinced that a ball didn't touch any cable... A graph was shown where, when the ball is touched by a player or an object, a peak is visible. In that case, a flat graph was seen from the moment the goalkeeper released the ball until the other player controlled it. There was only a slight wave, related to the air. The same applied to the ball's rotations, and the camera also remained stable. There are technological tools that allow you to clarify certain things".

And in Portugal v Croatia? "Here too, the graph was clear. There's a peak when it touches the Croatian attacker's head, then a flat line, and another peak when it touches the Portuguese defender's back. Since the system doesn't detect contact with hair, the peak is determined by contact with the head".

Some say technology 'kills' emotion. "That's historically inaccurate. For offside, there's a few seconds' wait for confirmation, but the player celebrates when they score. And if the goal is confirmed, there's a second celebration; if it's disallowed, the opposing team celebrates. I find it much fairer that emotion is based on a correct decision, rather than an incident destined to be debated for weeks or decades. Even today, sixty years later, people still question whether, in England's goal in the 1966 final, the ball truly crossed the line..."

Source: Gazzetta

Dankert surpassed Irrati as the top FIFA Video Match Official

German referee Bastian Dankert has built an outstanding international career as a Video Match Official. He had been involved in numerous major tournaments, including the FIFA World Cups in Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019, and the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. Over time, he has accumulated the highest number of VAR appointments in major FIFA and UEFA finals:

UEFA Euro 2020 Final

UEFA Conference League 2022 Final

UEFA Europa League 2023 Final

UEFA Super Cup 2024 Final

UEFA Europa League 2025 Final

FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Final

UEFA Champions League 2026 Final

FIFA World Cup 2026 Final

When VAR was introduced at the highest level, Italian Massimiliano Irrati was widely considered the top Video Match Official in the world. His most important appointments include:

FIFA World Cup 2018 Final

UEFA Champions League 2020 Final

FIFA World Cup 2022 Semi-final

UEFA Champions League 2022 Final (AVAR)

UEFA Champions League 2024 Final (SVAR)

FIFA investigating on-pitch brawl after World Cup final

Argentina will face an investigation into the ugly scenes at the end of the World Cup final, FIFA has confirmed. FIFA's disciplinary committee has appointed a disciplinary and ethics prosecutor to assess what happened after the final whistle at MetLife stadium. Any player or coach involved in the fracas could face suspension, while the Argentine Football Association (AFA) may also be fined.

Following their 1-0 defeat on Sunday, members of the Argentina team and backroom staff were involved in altercations with Spain players as they began to celebrate their World Cup success. Nahuel Molina, Leandro Paredes, Thiago Almada and assistant coach Roberto Ayala all appeared to be involved. It was initially reported by FIFA that Paredes had been sent off by referee Slavko Vincic after he pushed Spain's Eric Garcia by the throat. Paredes' red card was removed from the record shortly afterwards and FIFA has confirmed to BBC Sport that no disciplinary action was taken at the time. Argentina had already had one player dismissed, with Enzo Fernandez receiving a second yellow card in second-half stoppage time. FIFA had already begun the process of potential disciplinary action against Argentina after their players held a banner in support of their country's claims to the Falkland Islands following the 2-1 semi-final win against England. As the final whistle blew in New Jersey, a few Argentina players - including Lionel Messi - slumped to the turf. Others stood there motionless as Spain's players raced across the pitch in jubilation. Rodri, who had been substituted in extra-time, ran over from the dugout to join his team-mates. As the Manchester City midfielder went past Molina, the Argentina defender appeared to punch Rodri on the arm or stomach. This was the fuse which ignited the trouble. Rodri confronted Molina, but it was the Argentina player who thrust forward in an aggressive manner. Garcia ran over to back up his team-mate at which point Paredes got involved too, jabbing Garcia in the throat. Unused substitute Gavi tried to intervene, only to be forced to the ground by Almada. Paredes then pushed Gavi to the floor by putting his hand in the Spaniard's face. Ayala then looked to be holding Garcia around the throat. He then appeared to strike Spain midfielder Dani Olmo.

FIFA's disciplinary committee has a number of options open to it. By appointing a disciplinary and ethics prosecutor, FIFA will look in more detail at offences rather than just potential violent conduct. There is a greater chance of stronger punishment if players or the national association is charged and found guilty. Article 13 of the disciplinary code covers offensive behaviour and the principles of fair play. The actions of the players and staff could be judged as "violating the basic rules of decent conduct" and "behaving in a way that brings the sport of football and/or FIFA into disrepute". The disciplinary and ethics prosecutor will take into account "both aggravating and mitigating circumstances", and it has the power to enforce a ban globally. FIFA used this clause to charge then-Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales after kissing Jenni Hermoso on the lips after Spain's Women's World Cup final win against England. Rubiales was banned from all football-related activities for three years in 2023 and lost an appeal to get it overturned. Uruguay striker Luis Suarez was suspended from all football-related activity for four months for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup. It meant the Liverpool player missed the first nine games of the Premier League season. It is unlikely that Almada, Ayala, Molina and Paredes will face bans as long as this.

The AFA, however, has faced issues with the behaviour of its players in recent years. Argentina faced charges related to "offensive behaviour and violations of the principles of fair play" and "misconduct of players and officials" following the 2022 World Cup final. The South Americans beat France on penalties but were criticised for the way they celebrated. Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez made a lewd gesture with his Goalkeeper of the Tournament trophy, before being filmed in the dressing room mocking France star Kylian Mbappe. Argentina were fined £18,300 and no action was taken against any player involved. But Martinez was banned for two games in 2024 for 'offensive behaviour' in World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Colombia. Martinez repeated his infamous celebration using a replica Copa America trophy following a 3-0 win over Chile. Four days later, he hit a camera with his gloves as a cameraman approached him on the pitch after a 2-1 defeat by Colombia. Following Argentina's 2024 Copa America win, Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez was forced to apologise for a video he posted. The French Football Federation said the song was a "racist and discriminatory" chant. At this World Cup, the AFA is already facing a probable fine for the banner held up after the England game. Their players celebrated while holding a cloth which read "Las Malvinas son Argentinas", which translates as "The Falklands are Argentine". In 2014, the AFA was fined £20,000 after its players held up a banner with the same message before a friendly against Slovenia. It is possible that FIFA could issue bans to the players who were holding it: Cristian Romero, Giovani Lo Celso and Lisandro Martínez.

Source: BBC

FIFA World Cup Final 2026: Vinčić (SVN)

Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić will take charge of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Argentina and Spain at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday 19 July, describing the opportunity as an “incredible honour”. The 46-year-old from Maribor, Slovenia, was informed of his appointment by Pierluigi Collina, FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer and Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee and said he was taken aback by the news. “So, first of all, a shock. Then happiness. I was shaking, so it’s an incredible honour to get the (FIFA) World Cup final,” he said. “It’s something that… it’s only a dream for a referee, for a young referee when they start. I’m very proud, very proud of myself, my team. “The appointment makes Vinčić the 23rd person in history to referee a FIFA World Cup final, and the first from Slovenia. “First of all, it’s very difficult to put everything into words, but I’m very proud to represent my country, Slovenia, in the biggest sporting event in the world,” he said. “So, yeah, I’m very proud. My team is very proud, and we will do our best.”

Vinčić is an experienced referee who has taken charge of a number of top games in European and international football. He officiated at UEFA EURO 2020 and then took charge of the 2022 UEFA Europa League final between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers FC. Two years later he officiated in the 2024 UEFA Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid and took charge of games at UEFA EURO 2024, including the semi-final between France and Spain. Last year he refereed games at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 in the United States. This is the Slovenian’s second FIFA World Cup – he took charge of two games during FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. So far in this tournament, Vinčić has officiated Brazil v. Morocco and Jordan v. Algeria in the group stage and Mexico v. Ecuador in the Round of 32. Vinčić was quick to share the credit for his achievement with the officiating team around him, in particular his assistant referees Tomaž Klančnik and Andraž Kovačič. “Refereeing is all about teamwork. Without them, without Tomaž and Andraž, this is not possible,” he said. “I’m really happy that I have had them throughout my career, throughout our careers. We are really good friends, a good team, and thanks to them.” Vinčić said his preparation would follow the same rigorous pattern that has carried him through the tournament. “Preparation will not change much. We will analyse again the teams, even though we have been following them for these last 40-plus days,” he explained. “So, we will analyse the teams. We will stay focused, try to be mentally fresh, physically fresh, and we will do our best so that we will not be a topic after the match.”

Collina said the major factor behind the appointment to the final was performance throughout the tournament. “It’s… a long process. There are many pieces of the puzzle, but they have had to be combined all together to get the picture of the final referee, and it’s something that goes (on) through the competition,” he said. “Of course, the performances are [what] matter the most. Of course, the matches they refereed before, also the fact that his team is not playing (in) this competition, but mainly performances. At the end of the day, it’s what really matters.” Collina said it was always a special feeling to announce the appointment. “Well, what you have just seen is one of the most emotional moments in the competition, when we announce the match officials appointed for the two finals, for the bronze final and the gold final, and of course it’s emotional for the referees, but it is very emotional also for me,” he said. “This is the third time I [have done] it in a FIFA World Cup and, again, I always feel the goosebumps when I do that.” (Source: FIFA)

19 July 2026
Spain – Argentina
Referee: Slavko Vinčić SVN
Assistant Referee 1: Tomaž Klančnik SVN
Assistant Referee 2: Andraž Kovačič SVN
Fourth Official: Adham Makhadmeh JOR
Reserve AR: Mohammad Al-Kalaf JOR
VAR: Bastian Dankert GER
AVAR: Nicolas Gallo COL
SVAR: Khamis Al-Marri QAT
SBVAR: Tatiana Guzman NCA
SBAVAR: Guillermo Pacheco MEX

FIFA World Cup 2026 – Match for Third Place

18 July 2026

France – England
Referee: Jesus Valenzuela VEN (photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Jorge Urrego VEN
Assistant Referee 2: Tulio Moreno VEN
Fourth Official: Jalal Jayed MAR
Reserve AR: Zakaria Brinsi MAR
VAR: Leodan Gonzalez URU
AVAR: Armando Villarreal USA
SVAR: Carlos Del Cerro Grande ESP
SBVAR: Juan Soto VEN
SBAVAR: Juan Lara CHI

FIFA World Cup 2026 – Semi-final 2

15 July 2026

England – Argentina
Referee: Ismail Elfath USA (photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Corey Parker USA
Assistant Referee 2: Kyle Atkins USA
Fourth Official: Maurizio Mariani ITA
Reserve AR: Daniele Bindoni ITA
VAR: Marco Di Bello ITA
AVAR: Juan Lara CHI
SVAR: Tatiana Guzman NCA
SBVAR: Armando Villarreal USA
SBAVAR: Joe Dickerson USA

FIFA World Cup 2026 – Semi-final 1

14 July 2026

France – Spain
Referee: Ivan Barton SLV (photo)
Assistant Referee 1: David Moran SLV
Assistant Referee 2: Antonio Pupiro NCA
Fourth Official: Glenn Nyberg SWE
Reserve AR: Mahbod Beigi SWE
VAR: Tomasz Kwiatkowski POL
AVAR: Dennis Higler NED
SVAR: Guillermo Pacheco MEX
SBVAR: Leodan Gonzalez URU
SBAVAR: Ivan Bebek CRO