On Thursday, FIFA announced its roster of match officials for the upcoming World Cup, set to take place from June 11 to July 19, featuring 52 referees, including six women.
The global governing body for football will also include 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials, representing all six confederations and 50 member associations.
“The referees selected are truly the pinnacle of officiating,” stated Pierluigi Collina, FIFA’s chief refereeing officer.
“They were part of a broader group of officials that has been identified and monitored over the last three years. They have participated in seminars and officiated at FIFA tournaments.
“Furthermore, their performances in both domestic and international matches have been evaluated regularly.”
This World Cup, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, promises to be the largest ever, featuring 48 teams and a total of 104 matches.
That’s an increase of 41 match officials compared to the tournament in Qatar four years ago, where 32 teams competed in 64 matches.
“The inclusion of six women match officials reflects a continuation of the progress initiated four years ago in Qatar as we strive to enhance the development of women in refereeing,” Collina remarked, noting that six women had already officiated in 2022.
Compiled by SportArena.au
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