What is a FIFA referee – That is a question that many people are interested in in the football world. FIFA referees are referees recognized and authorized by the International Football Federation (FIFA) to control matches under FIFA’s jurisdiction, including international tournaments such as the World Cup. Let’s learn more about this title with ACEPH in the article below.

What kind of referee is a FIFA referee?

FIFA referees are highly qualified and experienced referees, recognized and authorized by FIFA to control matches under the jurisdiction of this organization. These referees are selected from countries that are members of FIFA. They are trained and tested according to international standards to ensure fairness for each soccer match.

To become a FIFA referee, candidates will be evaluated through controlling matches from small to large scale. Referees who excel and pass rigorous testing will receive FIFA certification. They will be equipped with shirts with the FIFA logo printed on them when officiating international matches organized by FIFA.

How many FIFA referees are there in a match?

According to FIFA rules, usually in an international football match, there are a total of 4 FIFA referees participating. The main referee holds the whistle and three assistant referees work together to officiate the match.

Chief referee

The referee is the referee holding the whistle and is the person with the highest authority in the match. The referee’s task is to run the match, apply the rules and regulations of the game, and make decisions in important situations.

The easily seen image of the main referee is the image of holding the ball and running after the players to monitor situations. Therefore, the referee is the person with the best physical strength and endurance. Besides, the referee must be fair-minded, have sharp eyes, and be decisive to be able to handle situations well on the field.

Linesman

For the line referee position, there are 2 referees, standing at the left and right line positions. Also known as an assistant referee, stands on both sides of the field and helps the main referee in observing and determining situations in the match. The main duties of the line referee include determining offside, deciding on fouls, and providing support information to the referee.

Referee position at the table

The referee at the table is held by one person, who usually does not appear on the field, whose role is to support and technically manage the match. This referee position is often responsible for monitoring team player changes, penalty cards, and extra time. The referee at the table can also replace the main referee if necessary.

This is a referee with no less influence than the main referee. The referee at the table does not have the right to make direct decisions about foul situations in the match. When encountering error situations that the main referee and two line referees cannot observe in time. The referee at the table will report back to the main referee to make a decision whether to penalize or not.

What standards are there to become a FIFA referee?

• To be nominated as a FIFA referee, candidates need to meet the following standards:
• Candidates are nominated in a single list.
• Candidates are not eligible for nomination when their country does not host a national championship.
• Every year, FIFA will nominate the maximum number of candidates that each country is allowed to nominate.
• To run for the position of main referee or whistleblower, the candidate must be at least 25 years old and a maximum age of 45. This age is calculated from 1/1 year of nomination, especially Only candidates under 38 years of age are nominated.
• Nominated candidates must have at least 2 years’ experience officiating at their country’s highest-level matches.
• For the position of assistant referee, the minimum age is 23, and only assistants who have appeared 12 months more than the main referee will be considered.
• Referee candidates need to pass a physical fitness test organized by FIFA, to ensure referees meet physical requirements.
• Referees need to have a health check within 4 months of the time of submitting the list of nominated candidates.
• Female candidates must pass the tests of male candidates before being allowed to officiate men’s soccer matches.
• When providing candidate lists, federations must rank candidates based on assigned scores.

Conclude 

In the article above, we have helped you answer the question “What is a FIFA referee?” What standards are needed to judge FIFA referees? If you feel the information we provide is useful, you can register an account to receive more new sports news.