FIFA International Referees List

This article is about FIFA's official publication. For the list of referees, see List of FIFA international referees.
Stéphanie Frappart and Szymon Marciniak

The FIFA International Referees List is an annual publication of the global list of FIFA international referees in the football-variants controlled by FIFA — association football (outdoor football), futsal and beach soccer. Members of the list are qualified to officiate at international level and are entitled to wear on their uniform for the year in which they listed.

Nomination

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FIFA member countries are invited annually to nominate male and female officials for association football, futsal and beach soccer. Each country's Referee's Committee selects the referees to be nominated to FIFA.[1][2]

FIFA maintains five lists in total: men's and women's association football referees,[3][4] men's and women's futsal referees,[5][6] and a single list of beach soccer referees.[7] Officials in the association football lists are nominated as either referees, assistant referees and/or video match officials.[8] Futsal and beach soccer at international level are usually controlled by two on-field referees and there is no equivalent of the assistant referee.[1]

Fitness

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Referees nominated to the list must pass fitness tests consisting of a series of 40 metres (130 ft) sprints and an interval test consisting of 75 metres (246 ft) sprints and 2x 12.5 metre recovery walks. Assistant referees nominated to the list must pass fitness tests consisting of a CODA-drill, series of 30 metres (98 ft) sprints and an interval test consisting of 75 metres (246 ft) sprints and 2x 12.5 metre recovery walks. [1][9][10]

FIFA badge

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On being selected to the list, referees receive a badge from FIFA. The badge indicates the category of official in which they have been listed – referee, assistant referee, Futsal referee or soccer referee. While officiating matches in the category they have been nominated, the referee is expected to wear the badge. Where a referee is controlling a match outside of their category (e.g. an assistant referee acting as a central referee or a Futsal referee controlling an outdoor match) the badge is not worn. Members of the women's list are only allowed to work men's international matches if they have completed the men's fitness tests. Being listed for the first time is often

referred to as receiving a FIFA badge.[1]

FIFA badge insignia since 2021

Age

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A referee must be at least 25 years old on 1 January to be eligible for International Referee listing nomination on that calendar year. An assistant referee is eligible at the age of 23 years.

In 2016, the maximum age limits for the list (45, or 38 for first-time listees) was dropped.[11][12] FIFA reserves the right to require referees over the age of 45 to undergo additional technical assessments as well as specific medical examinations and fitness testing on a case-by-case basis.[13]

Sarkis Demirdjian was the longest serving FIFA-listed referee, being listed for 20 years and 10 months (September 1962 – July 1983).[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Regulations governing the registration of international referees, assistant referees, futsal" (PDF). FIFA. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 27, 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  2. ^ "Duties of the Referees Committee" (PDF). Regulations on the Organisation of Refereeing in FIFA Member Associations. FIFA. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  3. ^ "Men's Referees List". FIFA.com. 2014-06-22. Archived from the original on June 25, 2011. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
  4. ^ "Women's Referees' List". FIFA.com. 2014-06-22. Archived from the original on August 12, 2011. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
  5. ^ "Men's Futsal Referees' List". FIFA.com. 2014-06-22. Archived from the original on June 23, 2011. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
  6. ^ "Women's Futsal Referees' List". FIFA.com. 2014-06-22. Archived from the original on June 24, 2011. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
  7. ^ "Refereeing – Beach Soccer Referees' List". FIFA.com. 2014-06-22. Archived from the original on September 17, 2011. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
  8. ^ Regulations on the Nomination and Appointment of FIFA International Match Officials [1]
  9. ^ Park, Madison (4 June 2010). "World Cup referees outrun players". CNN.com. Archived from the original on 19 August 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  10. ^ Morrison, Jim (22 June 2010). "How to Train a World Cup Referee". Smithsonian.com. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  11. ^ "Rizzoli happy FIFA is raising ref age limit". ESPN.com. 2014-12-30. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
  12. ^ "Refereeing World: FIFA: No more age limits for international referees". Refereeing World. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
  13. ^ FIFA.com Archived 6 August 2021 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ Glenday, Craig (2013). Guinness World Records 2014. Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 256. ISBN 9781908843159.
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