The preselection process for the World Cup is in its final stages; candidates from each confederation will gather in their respective seminars before the final cut and the selection of the referees who will officiate at the 2026 World Cup.
It will start with CONCACAF and CONMEBOL in early January, both confederations will meet in Brazil. To folllow, AFC, CAF and OFC will have a meeting in Doha, Qatar, at the end of February. UEFA will be the last confederation to draw conclusions when the European referees will meet in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on the early days of March. Shortly after that date, a final announcement about the official list will be expected.
CONCACAF and CONMEBOL
12/01/2026 - 18/01/2026Barton – SLV
Calderon – CRC
Dickerson – USA
Elfath – USA
Escobar – GUA
Fischer – CAN
García – MEX
Martínez – HON
Penso – USA
Ramos – MEX
Abatti – BRA
Benítez – PAR
Claus – BRA
Falcón Pérez – ARG
Garay – CHI
Herrera – ARG
Matonte – URU
Ortega – PER
Sampaio – BRA
Tejera – URU
Tello – ARG
Valenzuela – VEN
Makhadmeh JOR
Al Kaf OMA
Al Turais KSA
Araki JPN
Faghani IRN
Ma Ning CHN
Al Ali UAE
Falahi QAT
Tantashev UZB
Artan SOM
Atcho GAB
Beida MTN
Ghorbal ALG
Ismail SDN
Jayed MAR
Ndala Ngambo COD
Sy SEN
Eskås – NOR
Kovács – ROU
Letexier – FRA
Makkelie – NED
Marciniak – POL
Mariani – ITA
Nyberg – SWE
Oliver – ENG
Peljto – BIH
Pinheiro – POR
Sánchez Martínez – ESP
Schärer – SUI
Taylor – ENG
Turpin – FRA
Vinčić – SVN
Kate Jacewicz — AUS
Lara Lee — AUS
Casey Reibelt — AUS
Law Bik Chi — HKG
Abirami Apbai Naidu — SIN
Edita Mirabidova — UZB
CAF
Salima Mukansanga — RWA
Letticia Viana — SWZ
CONCACAF
Marianela Araya — CRC
Katia Garcia — MEX
Diana Perez — MEX
Tatiana Guzman — NCA
Ekaterina Koroleva — USA
CONMEBOL
Salome Di Iorio — ARG
Daiane Muniz — BRA
Charly Deretti Straub — BRA
Maria Daza — COL
Susana Corella — ECU
Zulma Quinonez — PAR
Milagros Arruela — PER
Stefanie Escobar — VEN
UEFA
Emanuela Rusta — ALB
Jana Adamkova — CZE
Katrin Rafalski — GER
Katalin Kulcsar — HUN
Eszter Urban — HUN
Catarina Campos — POR
Cláudia Ribeiro — POR
Cristina Trandafir — ROU
Jelena Cvetković — SRB
Dates of the VAR seminars:
CONMEBOL – Asuncion, January 14–16
CONCACAF – Dallas, January 19–21
AFC and CAF – Doha, February 3–5
UEFA – Vienna, February 10–12
Sanchez Martinez ahead of Manzano, Mariani there as the italian representative, no Siebert sadly but otherwise no surprise at all in the european list.
ReplyDeleteIn the african list, the only notable absence is Tom Abongile, the others are also very expected and no surprise whatsoever.
Tom was probably rejected by FIFA for his poor performance in Nigeria - Gabon CAF WCQ play-off semi. It's telling that he has been cut but Ismail (who handled the other semi) hasn't, despite Tom having a priori a much more favorable political background (countryman Victor Gomes in CAF RefCom + too many Arab candidates but very few Sub-saharan Africans)
DeleteSiebert, Guida, Gil Manzano, Gozubuyuk, Kružliak & Meler have been discarded among the pre-CWC seminar participants.
ReplyDeleteYou can read now between the lines why referees like Mariani and Zwayer, among others (it was not that much visible for the others, honestly) were pushed in this way in CL league phase, despite of very evident mistakes, they had to perform well also for this reason and honestly it looked like decisions were already taken in their favor. I try to be more objective as possible with this comment, no intent to go against the referees, but this seems evident. Other referees with that mistakes (very crucial and decisive) would have surely skipped games.
DeleteAgree with Chefren. In cases involving referees such as Zwayer and Mariani, mistakes were largely overlooked, and political decisions appear to have already determined their inclusion, regardless of mistakes.
DeleteThis is somewhat puzzling, especially as Siebert has performed exceptionally well in recent months, and there is little to separate the Spanish and Italian referees in terms of overall level.
Personally, I’m afraid that the controversy following Peljto’s Real–Marseille match is used as an argument to exclude him—possibly in favor of a referee from a top-five nation. The fact remains that the Bosnian referee received a notably long “punishment” from UEFA, which suggests there may be more behind this decision.
In terms of Pejito. Is he heavily involved in the Saudi leagues like marcineck?
DeleteHow many referees will be in Europe? Also my advice is that every country must have one referee it is not unfair in my opinion two referees from one country because this comes at the expense of another country
ReplyDeleteof course it's fair xD ... you would rather than have a Kruzliak or a Meler than a Turpin/Letexier or Oliver/Taylor?
DeleteNo I mean final selections england must be one referee also france
DeleteYou can only wish. Some countries are definitely going the WC 2026 with two referees. France, England, Argentina and Brazil are most likely having two centre referees in the World Cup
DeleteIMO, doubts for the selection of Eskas and Peljto. Then FIFA have to choose among Pinheiro, Scharer and Taylor to finalize the UEFA referees ratio. The remaining referees seem a certainty.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion I know collina is a fair man so choose and england and france one referee each of them like other countries
ReplyDeleteI know you are pushing Pinheiro, and I admit he is talented, but… come on. He is far behind Turpin/Letexier and Taylor/Oliver in terms of experience. He was promoted to the Elite category only this year.
DeleteI don't know the Experience that taylor and turpin have whose var every game 😁
DeleteNot discussed here yet, but: UEFA always has one support official. This is usually a younger referee who can still be expected to take part in one or two more World Cups, and who has limited FIFA experience compared to the rest of the squad. In 2022: Kovács.
ReplyDeleteCorrect me if I’m wrong, but on paper Schärer and Pinheiro would seem to fit that profile? Eskas seems ahead of them, with FCWC- and Arab Cup experience.
The youngest one for this selection is letexier but I don't think age have any matter for this kind of selection the important thing is performance
ReplyDeleteLetexier is already established and has outgrown the support referee position in my opinion. A referee with a Euros Final and Semi Final appearance shouldn't be reduced to just support role in the World cup.
DeleteWhat about female referees ??
ReplyDeletePenso & García from Concacaf are the only female candidates.
DeleteI think also Yamashita....She will officiate AFC Women's Asian Cup at 1 to 21 March
DeleteIf the Experience have any kind of matter have not been preferring zwayer from siebert who participate last world cup
ReplyDeleteAfter Uruguay - Ghana, it's understandable (even if one could perfectly disagree with it) that FIFA decided to 'permanently' reject Siebert.
DeleteI don't understand this view that Siebert is supposed to be better. His performances in recent months don't determine World Cup qualification, by just be better in the last 6 months. Besides, Felix was at the Club World Cup, officiated the Europa League final and a Champions League semi-final, where he performed well. I agree that this season hasn't been his best, but judging him solely on his recent performances to say he doesn't deserve to be in the WC isn't fair either.
ReplyDeleteWhen I spoke about siebert, i meant both could have been picked, but for sure zwayer is ahead
Delete"... Siebert performances in recent months don't determine World Cup qualification"
DeleteNeither are Zwayer's performances
Did you read the rest tho? :)
DeleteHow many from each federation will make the final cut? And lets say in the case of injuries, who replaces them
ReplyDeleteI think that list for the UEFA side is almost the final one, i don't really see who can join that list, and i think FIFA will take 2 referees from England and France so imo that is probably the europeans that will go to the WC
ReplyDeleteSo, if Siebert is out because of URUGHA at the last WC, then Al-Jassim for the third-place game and Arab Cup performance should be out too? Oh, he isn't? Just saying...
ReplyDeleteI am wondering whether the current list could already be the final one, with only the question remaining as to who will serve as referee and who (exclusively) as fourth official: At the 2022 World Cup, 29 referees and 7 'mere' fourth officials were used in 64 matches. With 104 matches this time, a linear projection would require 47 referees and 11 'mere' fourth officials, which exactly equals the 58 men and women participating in the seminars.
ReplyDeleteAbout UEFA this will be the final list IMO:
ReplyDeleteEskås – NOR
Kovács – ROU *
Letexier – FRA *
Makkelie – NED *
Marciniak – POL *
Mariani – ITA *
Nyberg – SWE *
Oliver – ENG *
Pinheiro – POR *
Sánchez Martínez – ESP *
Schärer – SUI
Taylor – ENG
Turpin – FRA *
Vinčić – SVN *
Zwayer – GER *
Peljto – BIH out or support referee
* Referees that will be 100% picked due to great CV or solid CV and strong passport.
Some of the names were strongly pushed last half a year to have "richer" CV: Eskas and Nyberg from FIFA referee committee (Arab Cup), Mariani from both FIFA and UEFA referee commitee (U20 World cup final), Pinheiro with Super Cup final and Peljto with Conference league final (both pushed by UEFA referee committee).
Of course word pushed doesn't have negative context, these are best european referees with an exception of one name which I won't mention :)
Why do I think Pejto has the least chance for the World cup? Because of the (undeserved?) treatment he received from the UEFA Referee Committee, which distanced him from the world championship, and I think that distancing from the world championship is one of the reasons for such treatment.
In the end, when I talk about CV I don't think Serdar and Kruzliak had any chance. No finals, no strong push from both committees.
Siebert and Gil Manzano were simply dropped as "less good" referees at the national level.
Just to add, why some names are not 100% picks:
DeleteTaylor-It's 90% chance but it will be interesting to see his treatment by UEFA Referee committee in the next part of the season
Scharer-If he will be 100% fit and healthy he will be in the USA
Eskas-Only in option if Peljto is totally out, Eskas will be support referee. I can't find other name (scenario with Mariani or Pinheiro as support referee is almost impossible to me)
Why is Pinheiro not an option as a support official? He has only been an Elite referee since around 2025. Eskås is ahead, in my opinion.
DeleteMoreover, can you really include the injury-prone Schaerer as a CR at the expense of e.g. Eskås, Taylor, Pinheiro, etc.? The same applies to Sánchez Martínez, who also had to withdraw injured.
Nevertheless, there are still plenty of matches coming up in January, so there is ample room for further debate.
You repeat is promoted elite in 2025 I want to ask one question since when Jil manzano or siebert is elite if the elite is important for this selection why exlude for this preselection not even final selection
DeleteGood to see Scharer on the list. His recent injury that made him miss the U20 WC (again) could have seen him be cut. Siebert maybe unlucky to miss out. I would put him ahead of Peljto, Pinheiro and Sanchez Martínez personally.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI wonder are we overthinking the power of federations here. FIFA in the past have at times have refused to nominate from bigger federations if the talent wasn't there/not ready for a world cup
2018 no English representative after clattenburgs retirement
Club world cup no Spanish / Italian referee.
In those situations it would seem they decided not to nominate those who they thought were not ready
For that reason I think it is very likely we see both Taylor and eskas as main referees. Both have experience in big FIFA tournaments and have been trusted by fifa
Taylor WC,CWC, Euro X2
Eskas CWC , arab cup
I then think we will maybe get one of Mariani or Sánchez Martínez but I don't think we will get both. But my bet will be on marini.
Of the rest
Peljto might have a chance but his treatment has been interesting
Pinheiro maybe in the future or as a back up referee but he quite simply is not ready at the moment
Schärer i think if he stays injury free he is on the plane whether as main referee or additional referee
*Eskås – NOR
*Kovács – ROU
*Letexier – FRA
*Makkelie – NED
*Marciniak – POL
*Mariani – ITA
*Nyberg – SWE
*Oliver – ENG
Peljto – BIH
Pinheiro – POR
Sánchez Martínez – ESP
*Schärer – SUI
*Taylor – ENG
*Turpin – FRA
*Vinčić – SVN
*Zwayer – GER
The number of UEFA referees at the World Cup (since 2010) roughly corresponds to the formula 'number of GS matches where they will be confederationally neutral, divided by two and minus one or two'. According to my rudimentary maths, this means: (4x2 + 8x3) / 2 = 16, and then if you were to take the upper bound of the final minus, that would make 14. Arriving at the number fourteen is quite easy, because there are two obvious deletions: Scharer for injuries and Peljto, who is clearly a good referee, but in my opinion is not quite good enough for the WC and also experienced some problems not only in Madrid, but additionally in the U20 WC (he didn't recognise a clear VC in front of him in Korea-Paraguay fe). Getting to thirteen or even twelve is much more difficult and involves some hard choices. What is quite clear though is, apparently contrary the expectation of most writing here, Espen Eskas will not fall victim to any cuttings - it is obvious he is liked by FIFA and, for what my view is worth, I would add that he was the best referee at the Arab Cup.
DeleteIt is a clear that pljeto and sandro schärer will not be the final selection but the competition will be the others but I think also taylor and vincic must be exclude for physical reasons
ReplyDeleteAnd Pinheiro will be there? hahahaha you are amazing
Delete
DeleteSo am I right you will exclude
Taylor euro X2 wcx1 cwcx2 Europa league final, nations league final, club world cup final & super cup final as well as 150 international games as main referee
Or vinic euros X2 WC X1 cwcx2 champions League final Europa league final and 154 international games as main referee
For Pinheiro who has done the supercup final and has 80 international matches as main referee
In terms of CV they both have significantly more experience and a better CV. In terms as quality of referee they are both superior to Pinheiro as both could probably be considered as candidates for at least a quarter final.
The only thing is age but FIFA have amended the age requirements of 45 as seen by Kuipers and if my memory serves Orsato and now obviously Taylor and Vicnic
I think when looking at the list of European Referees who will be sent to the world cup You have to think of who could be kept on past the group stage of the tournament to give FIFA the most amount of flexibility and unfortunately for Pinheiro there are too many names ahead of him to even be considered.
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ReplyDeleteInteresting discussion above, thank to all.
ReplyDeleteWhat I can add as personal opinion, as always, is the following: surem names, I agree with most of you, should be Kovacs, Letexier, Makkelie, Marciniak, Mariani, Nyberg, Oliver, Sanchez Martinez, Taylor, Turpin, Vincic and Zwayer. So we have 12 referees here, and maybe more are needed, given the format of next WC.
Before talking about the others, just let me add something about them: I considered, before the start of this preselection, Nyberg as candidate but not a sure name. Then, I think what now speaks definitely in favor of him is the final assignments and no doubts. About Mariani, the assignments for U20 final is indeed the ticket, but here differently from Nyberg, the Italian has been pulled out of nowhere, sorry to say, given how he performs in serie A it's a very lucky thing that he will be sure name for WC, I mean a referee from every country could have received the same specific treatment.
Sanchez Martinez wouldn't be so much distant maybe from Mariani, and in a way Spain is suffering something similar to the mentioned country. Gil Manzano has started to lose everything after the missed penaty in Ukraine - Italy, one must admit, he didn't pay maybe a short time after, but definitely he paid with the interests now. For me, he was never a very top referee, but when very good in some games, no doubt he was by far better than Sanchez Martinez (this can look like just a replacement just for changing a name for some aspects).
Then now, about the other referees who could be in doubt and maybe betwen them we could find the reserve official: Eskas, Peljto, Pinheiro, Schaerer. Very different point of view about the Norwegian with Mikael and I think that's good for discussion's purposes. While I think he did rather good in many games and he gained surely credit with FIFA, in my opinion considering all the referees who are preselected, he could be perceived in a certain position. I wouldn't see a scandal if the Norwegian will be used as reserve referee, but of course let's say he could officiate games without issues. Then, Schaerer: I think a way to "compensate" the fact that he didn't officiate at any FIFA tournament before the tournament could be compensated by a call as reserve referee, but in reality one must consider the level he has reached at UEFA (very top) and the fact that he is from Switzerland.
Peljto: very good referee, but "young" (not about age) in some aspects if compared to others, he wouldn't be maybe too much disappointed of attending a WC as reserve, nevertheless I think it would be a pity and he would deserve to officiate a game. Finally, Pinheiro, highliy regarded by UEFA, coming from strong federation, but to me still a "newbie" in the meaning that he could easily work as reserve. So for me the cut will be decided between these last four officials I mentioned and very likely one of them will be called as reserve referee. That's my point of view and once again it's interesting to observe that the referee with the most discussed status seems Eskas. We will see.
There are 16 European referees at the seminar, and I expect 13, or at most 14, to make the final list.
ReplyDeleteAs for the “safe” ones, for me those are: Kovacs, Letexier, Marciniak, Mariani, Oliver, Taylor, Turpin, Vincic, Zwayer and Makkelie. In my opinion, the others – Eskas, Nyberg, Peljto, Pinheiro, Sanchez Martinez and Schärer – all have similar chances, with Eskas and Nyberg standing out as the most likely to be included. That said, I personally don’t think Eskas is at the level he is often portrayed to be, considering the very “strong” appointments he keeps getting.
Pinheiro, Peljto, Sanchez Martinez and Schärer are, for me, fighting for that last spot – or two spots if FIFA goes with 14 referees. Again, this is how I think FIFA will look at it, although Eskas could very easily fall into this “uncertain” group as well.
Pinheiro? I don’t think he deserves to be at the World Cup yet. As one of the most recent additions to the elite list, I feel it’s simply too early and somewhat unfair to other referees. Even though UEFA clearly trusts him (I’m not entirely sure why, to be honest), Collina gave him a U20 World Cup semifinal. He’s 37 now (turning 38 in January), so he’ll still be in contention if he keeps performing well for another one or even two World Cups. I’m not saying he won’t be on the list, but personally, I don’t think he deserves it just yet.
Peljto? One of the referees most talked about on this page. I understand why many think he won’t go to the World Cup, but before that match in Madrid, he was almost a sure pick. He had an incredible season and his performance in ARS–RMA in the Champions League quarterfinal was excellent. After everything that happened recently, I’m no longer sure if he’ll make the list. Do I think he should? Yes. Will he actually be there? I honestly don’t know. Peljto is a top referee and, in my view, better than many elite referees. Considering everything so far and his age (he might only have one World Cup left in him), he should be included.
Schärer? A referee with an interesting CV and, of course, a EURO referee. The injury really set him back in terms of status. Without it, I think he would have been a safe pick. I’m not sure how FIFA will look at that, but given his age, I don’t think he’ll be on this list. He also hasn't any FIFA tournaments before. He still has a chance to be at the next two World Cups, which suggests his time is still ahead of him.
Sanchez Martinez? I think he will be on the list. Why? Very simple: Spain. Do we really think the committee will allow a tournament like this without a Spanish referee? No chance. His qualities aren’t in question, but personally, I think there are better referees than him. Still, good enough for a World Cup? Probably yes.
Conclusion? In my opinion, the one or two remaining spots should go to Peljto and Sanchez Martinez. Pinheiro and Schärer out. That’s what I hope for. The two I see as “out” due to age still have future World Cups ahead of them, while Peljto and Sanchez Martinez might be facing their last opportunity. Also, for me, Eskas belongs to this group level-wise, but his appointments at the Club World Cup, Arab Cup and other competitions show that UEFA clearly sees him as part of the final list.
We still don’t know how many referees will be selected. I’m hoping for 14, but 13 is also very possible.
At the end of the day, these are the lists as I’d like to see them, and the one I think we’ll realistically get, knowing the committee.
My expectations (personal):
Kovacs, Letexier, Marciniak, Mariani, Oliver, Taylor, Turpin, Vincic, Zwayer, Makkelie, Eskas, Nyberg, Peljto, Sanchez Martinez.
Expected list (knowing the committee):
Kovacs, Letexier, Marciniak, Mariani, Oliver, Taylor, Turpin, Vincic, Zwayer, Makkelie, Eskas, Nyberg, Sanchez Martinez, Pinheiro.
All in all, an exciting period is ahead, because one mistake can be very costly for most of these referees.
I don't think uefa in this edition of world cup have a reserve official . Why ? Because uefa have the most referees in a confederation so she does not need for reserve official so final selection may be thirteen referees or fourteen
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think Eskås has a virtually guaranteed spot at the World Cup. He was the best referee at the Arab Cup and seems to have prestige within UEFA and FIFA.
ReplyDeleteBut at club world cup he was not good only one match he had...So i am not sure he is fixed. I see him as a reserve max.
Deletevery average in arab cup
DeleteRegarding the number of reserve referees: The expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams also means more matches in a short period of time. On the last day of the group stage, six games per day are played on several consecutive days, so 12 referees (including the fourth officials) are needed per day. If they are to have two days off before and after, we would need 36 referees on the three peak days. Moreover, there is not unlimited flexibility: referees should not officiate the same teams multiple times, they must not officiate in their own groups, they should not officiate prospective opponents of the next round, etc. So it will be interesting to see how FIFA handles this. A pragmatic approach could be something like "A referee or fourth official who officiates at venue A will also serve as the fourth official there two days later." However, especially on the third day of the group stage, it will really get really tight and inflexible.
ReplyDeleteAt the CWC, the fourth officialy mostly were assigned to a specific venue and did (nearly) all games there. And the main referees were mostly used as 4ths at the Florida venues (near their base camp)
DeleteSo this might be a strategy for next summer as well. It would mean a relatively high number of support officials.
@Philipp S: I also thought of this possibility. As I recall, in past tournaments, also referee observers were sometimes more or less 'stationed' at certain stadiums. However, we would then actually need up to 16 fourth officials, which also suggests that the current list of 58 referees can hardly be reduced, but just remains open as to who will actually officiate matches and who will only serve as a fourth official. Also, considering that the referees for this tournament have to plan more than their entire limit of vacation, will need additional days off for preparations, etc., I think it would be 'humane' to give them timely certainty about whether they are nominated (in whatever function).
DeleteWho do we think is going as VARs as that has not been released. I am being biased but I would be surprised if gillett is not selected considering he has had 6 cl and 2 el matches this season aswell as the Arab cup (he can also work with the aus team)
ReplyDeletePersonally I think it's quite likely that all VARs who went to the Arab Cup (minus Iida who was rejected for wrong OFR in Morocco-Comoros) will go to the World Cup. Gillett should be 100% in regardless though
DeleteDo we have the ability to make a historical comparison against the final seminar lists for 2022? What I'm wondering is how many referees from each confederation were called to the final seminars vis-a-vis how many made it from each confederation?
ReplyDeleteIt FEELS like the final numbers for the seminars here are pretty low compared the expected number of selections. Taking UEFA as the obvious example, it is hard to identify the obvious cuts; I feel like at this point in 2021, we knew a few names were obviously there but wouldn't make the final cut. But I might be misremembering things.
The reason I bring this up is precisely because of the fourth official issue with a tournament this large (both from number of matches and geography). I really wonder if all of the referees at the final seminars might make it to the tourament somehow.
What I can find for UEFA about the 2022 preselection is that the last seminar took place on December 2021, one year before the tournament, in UAE (same location of next's March UEFA referees' meeting).
DeleteThese were the names:
Georgi Kabakov (BUL)
Michael Oliver (ENG)
Anthony Taylor (ENG)
Benoît Bastien (FRA)
Clément Turpin (FRA)
Daniel Siebert (GER)
Orel Grinfeeld (ISR)
Daniele Orsato (ITA)
Danny Makkelie (NED)
Szymon Marciniak (POL)
Artur Soares Dias (POR)
Ovidiu Hațegan (ROU)
Istvan Kovacs (ROU)
Sergei Karasyov (RUS)
Srdan Jovanović (SRB)
Slavko Vinčič (SVN)
Carlos del Cerro Grande (ESP)
Jesus Gil Manzano (ESP)
Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz (ESP)
Cuneyt Çakır (TUR)
And then on May 2022, the following UEFA referees were officially selected:
Michael Oliver (ENG)
Anthony Taylor (ENG)
Clément Turpin (FRA)
Daniel Siebert (GER)
Daniele Orsato (ITA)
Danny Makkelie (NED)
Szymon Marciniak (POL)
Istvan Kovacs (ROU, reserve*)
Slavko Vinčič (SVN)
Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz (ESP)
Stéphanie Frappart (FRA, not attending prevous UEFA men's seminar)
* Nobody was officially presented as reserve referee by FIFA but then it was the Romanian to stay without games at the tournament.
Surely this time the cut will be smaller than four years ago.
And we can draw the conclusion, in my opinion, that FIFA will confirm the official names without adding any "reserve referee" information (best solution for Collina and Busacca). I think in this way they will be able to cut maybe only two names at maximum if not only one from the current UEFA list.
Sorry, correction, the seminar was on January 2022, not December 2021.
DeleteInteresting. So once again the seminar is in January, but instead of May the list is now finalized in March. This means there are fewer competitions in between to carry out additional assessments, while at the same time there are more matches at the World Cup. Therefore, the list of 16 is indeed very close to the final selection. I think the usaref theory (more support officials) could be an interesting one, given the travel distances and political “compensations.” At the FCWC last summer there were many CRs who had to travel back and forth frequently.
DeleteWhat is Giz Manzano's offence?
ReplyDeleteTo me, as said above, there isn't a real difference between him and Sanchez Martinez, but I think Gil Manzano paid the EURO Play off and a very bad form in the following years, nevertheless one can't say that now with the Murcian referee they have a phenomenon...
DeleteWhen I look at the list of the World Cup candidates, I get the impression—regardless of the performances delivered—that some from 'large' countries have hardly any experience in FIFA tournaments. José María Sánchez Martínez officiated only a single match in the group stage at the U17 World Cup. Is that really enough to be appointed as a main referee at the World Cup? Drew Fischer is a similar example: he was only active in the Club World Cup, where he didn’t get past the group stage, but as a representative of a co-host country, he is probably a sure pick.
DeleteFisher was at the 2024 Olympics as well
Delete@Kapetan: Oh, thank you, I missed that. However, he wasn't used beyond the group stage there either.
DeleteSánchez Martínez attended U20 WC in 2023 too, where he did a QF & a SF.
DeleteSanchez Martinez: two U20 World Cups, in the first one he officiated a semi.
DeleteI didn't miss Sánchez Martínez in 2023. However, with a view to a test for 2026, this tournament no longer seemed relevant to me.
DeleteIt’s interesting to read the opinions on this blog. You can clearly sense that >90% here have a preference for a particular referee and build their arguments around that (somewhat endearing), or, conversely, a strong dislike for a certain official. Admittedly, I have my own favorites as well. I do appreciate Chefren’s objectivity in acknowledging that Mariani has followed, at the very least, a rather striking fast-track.
ReplyDeleteWhen the FCWC referees were announced, most here agreed that Collina had made fair choices — logically so, as they must be defensible and protect his own credibility. After the FCWC, the political dynamics become quite clear. Mariani, for instance, is given the U-20 final, providing Collina with a tangible argument to include him. The same applies to Elfath, who receives an Intercontinental final after a long absence, effectively “creating” the case for his selection. Eskås and Nyberg are clearly liked by FIFA. Peljto, by contrast, faces the opposite reality: a weaker passport and a harsh UEFA punishment (five UCL rounds sidelined). It’s evident that a Zwayer or Sánchez would not be treated the same way -> they have to be included, and discretion is sometimes applied. Reading between the lines, Peljto seems destined to make room for a referee from a top-six nation, or to be confined to a support role.
Given the push behind Mariani and Elfath, I’m particularly curious about the decisions regarding Sánchez and Schaerer, who had to withdraw injured at the U-20s and therefore lack a strong on-paper FIFA argument. I’m also very interested to see which VARs will ultimately receive a call-up.
Any clues on when we expect the list for assistant referees?
ReplyDeleteThe list for assistant referees is already set each referee normally works in a trio so generally the assistants will be the ones that work with him/her consistently.
DeleteFor example I know in the premier league Oliver and Taylor generally work with the same assistants as they do for FIFA tournaments
Predictions:
ReplyDeleteUEFA (13+2): Marciniak, Vinčić, Turpin, Letexier, Oliver, Taylor, Nyberg, Makkelie, Kovács, Mariani, Zwayer, Sánchez Martínez, Eskås (Pinheiro, Schärer)
CONMEBOL (8+2): Tello, Falcón, Sampaio, Abatti, Valenzuela, Matonte, Garay, Ortega (Benítez, Tejera)
CONCACAF (6+2): Elfath, Penso, Fischer, Ramos, Barton, Martínez (García, Calderon)
AFC (6+2): Faghani, Tantashev, Makhadmeh, Al Jassim, Ma Ning, Al Turais (Al Ali, Araki)
CAF (6+2): Omar, Ghorbal, Beida, Atcho, Jayed, Ndala (Artan, Sy)
OFC (1): Kawana-Waugh
For me impossible
DeleteSo how is your list Pinheiro Fan No.1?
DeleteIt’s one of the most realistic ones I’ve seen.
I know there is different between what person like and the reality but my opinion taylor , pljeto,schärer will be out
DeleteI think if scharer comes back strong, he can still aim for a spot ..before his injury, he refereed a UCL QF which is not to be forgotten. Eskas is still my big doubt, he hasn't convinced much in the arab cup.
DeleteObjectively speaking, Sánchez Martínez does not have a particularly strong case on paper to be included for the World Cup. Unlike Mariani (U-20 final), the Spaniard officiated only one group-stage match at the U-20 due to injury. He has very limited tournament experience and did not referee at EURO 2024 either.
ReplyDeleteA semi-final at a FIFA tournament in 2023 is mentioned above, but that was some time ago and says little about his current form.
By comparison: Eskås also refereed just one match at the CWC, but has put himself back in the spotlight with a QF+SF at the Arab Cup. The same applies to Kovács, who “recovered” from a poor CWC with his intercontinental appointment.
The interesting question in this context is whether Peljto — with a U-20 QF and the 2025 Conference League final to his name — can realistically be left out of the squad IN FAVOUR of a Spaniard carrying a stronger passport. Is there any political manoeuvring being played at Peljto’s expense here?
I wouldn't directly make the Peljto Sánchez Martínez comparison, because there could be other variables involved. In any case, everything is just about the specific weight of holding Spanish nationality. Will that be enough for Sánchez Martínez? If we look at his palmares and curriculum, in fact he is among the least experienced referees, if not actually the least experienced, in the UEFA pool (as I had written in a similar situation regarding Mariani, although the Italian was "artificially" boosted by a specific appointment to the U-20 World Cup final; otherwise it would have been the same scenario).
DeleteIn my view, I almost took his presence for granted exclusively because he is Spanish, but on paper that might not be sufficient. In any case, my reasoning is the following: if they had wanted to ensure a Spanish referee at the World Cup, they could certainly have retained Gil Manzano, even if he was out of favour. In his case, a clearly stronger career (including participation at the EURO) would have solved the issue. Instead, Sánchez Martínez would still need to be “built up” (like Mariani, indeed). Personally, I don't know, but just as example it is clear that if we look at these names from Eskås point of view, considering all the major FIFA appointments he has already received, then the Norwegian, just to make a comparison, would even be ahead of the Spanish. So, the situation will be very interesting to follow. Nevertheless, no doubts there will be rather controversial decisions in the selection, after all what we saw about assignments at these last FIFA tournaments in 2025...
With the VAR preselection they "solved" some open questions and they also gave the expected quota to women, but I think the only real call for WC there is Tatiana Guzman.
ReplyDeleteOn a personal note I would love to see hategan being selected surely one of the most unlucky referees over the past few years
ReplyDeleteI doubt if he would be considered for serious appointments given his battle with heart disease in the past
DeleteSome weird UEFA VAR choices if you take a look into the main VAR appearances in the Champions League Group Stage this year:
ReplyDeleteManuel Schuettengruber — AUT (1)
Alejandro Hernandez — ESP (0)
Angelos Evangelou — GRE (0)
Marco Guida — ITA (0)
Dennis Higler — NED (1)
Piotr Lasyk — POL (1)
André Narciso — POR (1)
Ovidiu Hategan — ROU (0)
Momcilo Markovic — SRB (0)
While not selected:
Stuart Attwell - ENG (3)
Michael Salisbury - ENG (4)
Guillermo Cuadra Fernández - ESP (5)
Cesar Soto Grado - ESP (3)
Andrew Dallas - SCO (3)
Aleandro Di Paolo - ITA (5)
Christian Dingert - GER (6)
Soren Storks - GER (5)
Tiago Martins - POR (3)
Pol van Boekel - NED (6)
Apparently, Chris Penso is nominated as a VAR/AVAR candidate for CONCACAF. As far as I know, he is Tori Penso's husband. Would be a special (and all the more due to the 'gender role' an interesting) signal if a man (as a VAR or AVAR) were to support his own wife (as the Head Referee).
DeleteSome of the names are indeed very suprising to read. From those with many UCL games that you mentioned I was sure Di Paolo, Dingert and Martins to be selected. The others are I understand why they were not choosed
DeleteIt seems to me quite clear to analyze how some choices were made specifically to resolve certain issues and give more to federations that were apparently struggling. Among others Spain, with only Sanchez, who can be considered moreover in doubt. Two Spanish VAR officials appear to be the minimum, so the Canarian is added to the Madrilenian at the monitor. Following that, obviously, Guida is rewarded for having been bypassed by Mariani in this particular choice, and it's clear that it didn't happen in a very easy way. In this manner, Guida is also rewarded of (and in all this, still another slight for Massa, always out of everything; but in terms of VAR, he never really liked this role, unlike others). Guida remains, in all cases, a political “compensation” decision (and at this point he will surely go, with Di Bello). It must also be admitted, however, that Di Paolo has been performing a bit poorly recently (even though he had attended FIFA meetings specifically for the World Cup). That said, in other cases, for me, there is a bit of a generational change needed, perhaps with Higler in the Netherlands taking the place of the always present Van Boekel, who without doubt has already had a lot in a long career.
ReplyDeleteFor Romania and Serbia, certainly good representatives such as Hategan (and I also think he will go) and Markovic.
Bebek is appreciated as very top by Collina, but for me, he is not a phenomenon as VAR. As for a name like Dankert, clearly, they could never do without him in any case…