As 48 nations battle for World Cup glory, another group has endured a similarly grueling path to soccer’s biggest stage: the referees.
The report indicates that as 48 nations battle for World Cup glory, another group has endured a similarly grueling path to soccer’s biggest stage: the referees.
It further notes that this year, 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video assistant referees (VARs) have been selected. The 170-strong contingent is the largest in World Cup history, with the expanded format now featuring a record 48 teams and 104 matches.
The officials come from 50 FIFA member nations across all continental confederations, with eight representing the United States. Among them are also six women, following FIFA’s historic move to include female referees at the last edition in Qatar.
It’s a role that has been unexpectedly thrust into the limelight. A Somali referee slated for the showpiece was denied entry to the US due to “vetting concerns.” A record three red cards were brandished in the opening game. In China, fans are rallying behind one referee as the country’s sole representative after the national team failed to qualify.
“It was my first World Cup game – and South Korea’s first World Cup game ever (at home), too. We had 50,000 spectators all in red jerseys. The noise was incredible,” Leif Lindberg, one of the two assistant referees at the 2002 final between Brazil and Germany, tells CNN Sports of his World Cup debut on June 4, 2002.
“Every one of us was dreaming about officiating the World Cup.”
But turning that aspiration into reality demands more than intense training and an unblemished on-field record. For many, juggling match duties alongside a full-time job comes at a heavy personal cost.
“Most referees have been through at least one divorce,” says Lindberg, who is retired and on his second marriage. “Many sacrifice family life in one way or another.”
The selection process for this World Cup began immediately after Qatar 2022, according to FIFA.
Candidates were required to attend seminars, undergo fitness tests and have prior FIFA tournament experience. Their performances in domestic and international competitions were also monitored over the past three years, before a committee finalized the lineup.
“In every important match ahead of the World Cup, we have one or two observers,” former assistant referee Renato Faverani explains to CNN Sports, adding referees at the elite level are assigned to the same officiating teams across international games and assessed as a group.
“Afterwards, you receive an evaluation, which is then compared with other referee teams,” says the Italian, who worked four matches at the 2014 World Cup, including the final between Germany and Argentina.
Even being considered is no small feat, since only those active in top-level fixtures are in contention. Before earning his appointment, for example, Faverani had built an extensive resume across the UEFA Champions League (even officiating the 2013 final), the European Championship and Serie A, among others.
Once chosen for a World Cup – as the tournament progresses – referees are appointed three to four days before each game, based on their form. FIFA also bars officials from taking charge of matches involving their own country to avoid conflicts of interest, leaving no predetermined list of candidates for the knockout stage.
