Every referee at the 2022 World Cup
Earlier this year, FIFA announced the 129 match officials that will be taking control of the 64 matches at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
36 referees, 69 assistants, and 24 video match officials have been selected with every footballing confederation being represented in what is a groundbreaking tournament for refereeing.
Three female referees will take to the field for the first time in World Cup history along with three assistants. VAR, meanwhile, will be in use for just the second time following the success of the technology's usage at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Here's a list of the 36 referees that are going to Qatar, accompanied by their respective member associations.
UEFA Referees at the World Cup
Two Premier League referees - Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor - will officiate at the World Cup after no Premier League referees were selected for the tournament in Russia.
Leading German referee Felix Brych will not be heading to the World Cup after he announced his international retirement in 2021. Bjorn Kuipers, who took charge of the Euro 2020 final, is also not going to Qatar after retiring last year.
Stephanie Frappart, meanwhile, will become the first female European to officiate at the tournament.
- Ivan Barton (SLO)
- Stephanie Frappart (FRA)
- Istvan Kovacs (ROU)
- Danny Makkelie (NED)
- Szymon Marciniak (POL)
- Antonio Mateu (ESP)
- Michael Oliver (ENG)
- Daniele Orsato (ITA)
- Daniel Siebert (GER)
- Anthony Taylor (ENG)
- Clement Turpin (FRA)
- Slavko Vincic (SLO)
CAF referees at the World Cup
Salima Mukansanga, who became the first female to referee at the African Cup of Nations earlier this year, is heading to Qatar.
- Bakary Gassama (GAM)
- Mustapha Ghorbal (ALG)
- Victor Gomes (RSA)
- Salima Mukansanga (RWA)
- Maguette Ndiaye (SEN)
- Janny Sikazwe (ZAM)
CONCACAF referees at the World Cup
- Ismail Elfath (USA)
- Mario Escobar (GUA)
- Said Martinez (HON)
- Cesar Ramos (MEX)
CONMEBOL referees at the World Cup
- Raphael Claus (BRA)
- Andres Matias Matonte Cabrera (URU)
- Kevin Ortega (PER)
- Fernando Rapallini (ARG)
- Wilton Sampaio (BRA)
- Facundo Tello (ARG)
- Jesus Valenzuela (VEN)
OFC referees at the World Cup
- Matthew Conger (NZL)
AFC referees at the World Cup
Japanese Yoshimi Yamashita is the third history-maker at the 2022 World Cup. Yamashita became the first female referee to take charge of a J. League match in 2021, then the first the officiate a AFC Champions League contest in 2022.
Abdulrahman Al Jassim will also become the first Qatari referee in World Cup history.
- Abdulrahman Al Jassim (QAT)
- Chris Beath (AUS)
- Alireza Faghani (IRN)
- Ning Ma (CHN)
- Mohammed Abdulla Mohammed (UAE)
- Yoshimi Yamashita (JAP)
Will VAR be used at the 2022 World Cup?
VAR will be used for just the second time in World Cup history this winter. The technology was used successfully at the tournament in Russia four years ago.
FIFA has also approved the use of its Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) for VAR at the World Cup. SAOT is an AI-based system which should hasten the decision-making process in regards to offside calls. Supporters - whether they're watching inside the stadium or at home on TV - will be provided with a 3D animation to clearly show the offside decision.
The newly-launched technology has been in use throughout the 2022/23 Champions League group stages.
VAR officials at the 2022 World Cup
- Abdulla Al Marri (QAT)
- Julio Bascunan (CHI)
- Muhammad Bin Jahari (SGP)
- Jerome Brisard (FRA)
- Bastian Dankert (GER)
- Ricardo De Burgos (ESP)
- Shaun Evans (AUS)
- Drew Fischer (CAN)
- Marco Fritz (GER)
- Nicolas Gallo (COL)
- Leodan Gonzalez (URU)
- Fernando Guerrero (MEX)
- Alejandro Hernandez (ESP)
- Massimiliano Irrati (ITA)
- Redouane Jiyed (MAR)
- Tomasz Kwiatkowski (POL)
- Juan Martinez (ESP)
- Benoit Millot (FRA)
- Juan Soto (VEN)
- Paolo Valeri (ITA)
- Paulus Van Boekel (NED)
- Mauro Vigliano (ARG)
- Armando Villarreal (USA)
- Adil Zourak (MAR)