Within a soccer field it is always mentioned that there are 22 individuals in action, a fallacy, since there are 4 more who are involved and who must have the mental fortitude to know that no matter what happens they will never be heroes but are predestined to be easily singled out as the villains. Even more so when there is a FIFA World Cup involved.
As Qatar 2022 is fast approaching, FIFA is working flat out on its to-do list to have everything ready for November 20. One of these was the announcement of those chosen to officiate in the 64 upcoming matches of this tournament.
If in order to join the select group of countries that have played in the FIFA World Cup, edition after edition must go through a complex and exhausting qualification process, referees also have to pass tests to ensure that only the most qualified are considered to referee during the tournament.
World Cup Qualifiers for referees: the FIFA badge
Just because a referee works in the local league of his country of origin does not mean that he is qualified to take part in matches in international tournaments endorsed by FIFA. There is a complex process and requirements to be fulfilled before a match official can wear the badge that accredits him as an international referee: the FIFA badge.
To begin with, a referee needs to be proposed by the Federation of the country in which he/she works or officiates on a professional soccer field to be a candidate to obtain a FIFA badge. This is the first part of the process or the first filter through which many referees see their desire to participate in a World Cup or other international tournament cut short.
The requirements for referees who are candidates for the FIFA badge are a minimum of 25 years of age at the end of the previous season (23 for assistant referees) and a maximum of 38 years of age. They must also pass a physical test and a medical examination. As for their refereeing skills, a ranking is established on the qualifications obtained for officiating international matches twelve months prior to their candidacy to become FIFA international referees.
Daniele Orsato, Italian FIFA International Referee. (Adam Nurkiewicz/Getty Images)
The different types of referee
It should be clarified that within the office of arbitrator there are different roles to be fulfilled. Not everything goes through the one who is running alongside the players during the 90 minutes that an official match lasts. There are three other different roles that a professional referee can fulfill, especially if he/she has a FIFA badge.
Thus, the best known referee is the central referee, the aforementioned, in charge of imparting immediate justice to everything that happens on the field. Then there are the assistant referees who run along each side of the field and assist the central referee in decisions such as marking the offside rule and more.
Then there is the fourth referee who is in charge of overseeing the substitutions that are made in each team, the equipment of each player that enters the field, among other functions. Likewise, this referee must replace the central referee in case he is unable to continue with his work due to injury or inconvenience. Finally, there are the Video Match Officials who review controversial plays and offer advice and guidance to the referee regarding the previous ones during the time the Video Assist is being used.
An assistant referee during a FIFA World Cup. (Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Which referees will officiate at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022?
A total of 129 match officials were selected by FIFA to referee in Qatar 2022. There are 36 central referees, 69 assistant referees and 24 Video Match Officials. And the great novelty, the historical fact of the tournament is that for the first time in history 6 women referees were included: 3 female central referees and 3 more female assistant referees.
It should be noted that among those chosen to officiate in some of the 64 matches that will take place from November 20to December 18 in Qatar 2022, there are many who will be the only representatives of their nation, since their respective National Teams did not manage to qualify for this prestigious tournament.
The Video Assistant Refeee Room. (Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Algeria
Mustapha Ghorbal- referee
Abdelhak Etchiali- assistant referee
Mokrane Gourari- assistant referee
Angola
Jerson dos Santos- assistant referee
Argentina
Fernando Rapallini- referee
Facundo Tello — referee
Diego Bonfa- assistant referee
Ezequiel Brailovsky- assistant referee
Gabriel Chade- assistant referee
Juan Pablo Belatti- assistant referee
Mauro Vigliano- video match official
Australia
Chris Beath – referee
Ashley Beecham- assistant referee
Anton Shchetinin- assistant referee
Shaun Evans- video match official
Brazil
Raphael Claus – referee
Wilton Sampaio- referee
Bruno Boschilia- assistant referee
Rodrigo Figuereido- assistant referee
Neuza Back- assistant referee
Bruno Pires- assistant referee
Danilo Simon- assistant referee
Raphael Claus, Brazilian Referee. (Dolores Ochoa – Pool/Getty Images)
Cameroon
Elvis Noupue- assistant referee
Canada
Drew Fischer- video match official
Chile
Julio Bascunan – video match official
China
Ning Ma- referee
Yi Cao – assistant referee
Xiang Shi- assistant referee
Colombia
Nicolas Gallo- video match official
Costa Rica
Juan Carlos Mora- assistant referee
Dominican Republic
Raymundo Feliz- assistant referee
England
Michael Oliver- referee
Anthony Taylor- referee
Simon Bennett- assistant referee
Gary Beswick- assistant referee
Stuart Burt- assistant referee
Adam Nunn- assistant referee
El Salvador
Ivan Barton – referee
David Moran- assistant referee
France
Stephanie Frappart – referee
Clement Turpin- referee
Nicolas Danos- assistant referee
Cyril Gringore- assistant referee
Jerome Brisard- video match official
Benoit Millot- video match official
Gambia
Bakary Gassama- referee
Germany
Daniel Siebert- referee
Rafael Foltyn- assistant referee
Jan Seidel- assistant referee
Bastian Dankert- video match official
Marco Fritz- video match official
Daniel Siebert, German Referee. (Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images)
Guatemala
Mario Escobar – referee
Honduras
Said Martinez- referee
Walter Lopez- assistant referee
Italy
Daniele Orsato- referee
Ciro Carbone- assistant referee
Alessandro Giallatini- assistant referee
Massimiliano Irrati- video match official
Paolo Valeri- video match official
Iran
Alireza Faghani – referee
Mohammadreza Abolfazli- assistant referee
Mohammadreza Mansouri – assistant referee
Japan
Yoshimi Yamashita- referee
Lesotho
Souru Phatsoane- assistant referee
Mexico
Cesar Ramos- referee
Karen Diaz- assistant referee
Miguel Hernandez – assistant referee
Alberto Morin- assistant referee
Fernando Guerrero- video match official
Morocco
Redouane Jiyed- video match official
Adil Zourak- video match official
Mozambique
Arsenio Marengule – assistant referee
Netherlands
Danny Makkelie- referee
Jan de Vries- assistant referee
Hessel Steegtra- assistant referee
Paulus Van Boekel- video match official
New Zealand
Matthew Conger – referee
Mark Rule- assistant referee
Peru
Kevin Ortega- referee
Michael Orue- assistant referee
Jesus Sanchez- assistant referee
Poland
Szymon Marciniak- referee
Tomasz Listkiewicz- assistant referee
Pawel Sokolnicki- assistant referee
Tomasz Kwiatkowski- video match official
Qatar
Abdulrahman Al Jassim – referee
Taleb Al Marri- assistant referee
Saoud Almaqaleh- assistant referee
Abdulla Al Marri- video match official
Romania
Istvan Kovacs- referee
Mihai Artene- assistant referee
Vasile Marinescu- assistant referee
Rwanda
Salima Mukansanga- referee
Senegal
MaguetteNdiaye- referee
Djibril Camara- assistant referee
El Hadji Samba- assistant referee
Singapore
Muhammad Bin Jahari- video match official
Slovenia
Slavko Vincic- referee
Tomas Klancnik- assistant referee
Andraz Kovacic- assistant referee
Spain
Antonio Mateu- referee
Pau Cebrian- assistant referee
Roberto Diaz- assistant referee
Ricardo de Burgos- video match official
Alejandro Hernandez- video match official
Juan Martinez- video match official
Antonio Mateu Lahoz, Spanish Referee. (Stu Forster/Getty Images)
South Africa
Victor Gomes- referee
Zakhele Siwela- assistant referee
Suriname
Zachari Zeegelaar- assistant referee
Trinidad & Tobago
Caleb Wales- assistant referee
Tonga
Tevita Makasini- assistant referee
United Arab Emirates
Mohammed Mohammed- referee
Mohammed Al Hammadi- assistant referee
Hasan Almahri- assistant referee
The United States
IsmailElfath- referee
Kyle Atkins- assistant referee
Kathryn Nesbitt- assistant referee
Corey Parker- assistant referee
Armando Villarreal- video match official
Uruguay
Andres Matonte- referee
Martin Soppi – assistant referee
Nicolas Taran- assistant referee
Leodan Gonzalez- video match official
Venezuela
Jesus Valenzuela- referee
Tulio Moreno- assistant referee
Jorge Urrego- assistant referee
Juan Soto- video match official
Zambia
Janny Zikazwe- referee
