FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Referees List
The FIFA Referees Committee has announced the names of the match officials selected for the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. These officials include referees, assistant referees, and video match officials. These have been chosen for their exceptional quality and performances in FIFA tournaments and other international and domestic competitions.
Female Video Match Officials
Female video match referees have been chosen to officiate at a World Cup for the first time. The FIFA referees team will consist of 33 referees, 55 assistant referees, and 19 video match referees for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
These referees were chosen from the six confederations according to their skills in previous years’ local, international, and FIFA competitions. This significant milestone demonstrates FIFA’s commitment to promoting gender equality and empowering women in football.
The Standard of Refereeing
Pierluigi Collina, the chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, revealed that the chosen match referees show excellent refereeing skills worldwide. These referees were selected because they showed the best refereeing talents in the previous edition.
The journey towards the Women’s World Cup began in 2020 with the ‘Road to Australia & New Zealand’ project. Over 170 prospective match referees received extensive training to ensure they would be ready for the competition.
FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Referees List
| Referees | Assistant Referees | VMOs |
| Kate Jacewicz | Sarah Ho May Yee | Abdulla Al-Marri |
| Kim Yu-jeong | Makoto Bozono | Chris Beath |
| Oh Hyeon-jeong | Joanna Charaktis | Muhammad Taqi |
| Casey Reibelt | Kim Kyoung-min | Carol Anne Chenard |
| Yoshimi Yamashita | Lee Seul-gi | Drew Fischer |
| Vincentia Amedome | Park Misuk | Tatiana Guzman |
| Bouchra Karboubi | Heba Saadia | Armando Villarreal |
| Akhona Makalima | Naomi Teshirogi | Salomé Di Iorio |
| Salima Mukansanga | Ramina Tsoi | Nicolás Gallo |
| Marianela Araya | Xie Lijun | Daiane Muniz dos Santos |
Preparation and Support
The FIFA Referees Committee aims to provide rigorous and focused preparation for the selected referees. They will receive ongoing monitoring and guidance in the months leading to the Women’s World Cup.
Kari Seitz, FIFA’s Head of Women’s Refereeing, highlighted the importance of support and introduced new programs, such as the Tracking & Support program, to accelerate the referee’s development.
Competitions and Partnerships
To prepare the officials mentally, physically, and technically, FIFA’s women’s refereeing program has incorporated their participation in prestigious competitions.
These include the Algarve Cup, FIFA U-17 WWC in India, and FIFA U-20 WWC in Costa Rica.
FIFA also partners with the Maurice Revello Event, a U-20 Men’s National-Team Competition. These opportunities have allowed the referees to demonstrate their abilities and enhance their readiness for the World Cup.
Women’s Refereeing Making History
The FIFA Women’s World Cup is not the only tournament where women officials break barriers. A historic milestone was reached in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 as six female officials were appointed for the tournament.
Preparatory Seminars
The sessions will be recorded to provide instant feedback to the referees and enhance their decision-making skills on the field.
Also Read: Women’s World Cup Qualifiers
Role of Video Match Officials
The successful use of the VAR system at the 2019 Women’s World Cup has paved the way for its inclusion in the upcoming tournament. A team of 19 VMOs will operate in New Zealand, Aotearoa & Australia.
Notably, six female VMOs will make history by serving in this crucial role, further highlighting FIFA’s commitment to gender equality and promoting women in all aspects of football.
Conclusion
The selection of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 referees represents the best of women’s refereeing worldwide. FIFA’s rigorous preparation, support, and inclusivity ensure these officials are ready to perform excellently on the world stage.
With the tournament fast approaching, the focus is on maintaining the same standard of refereeing witnessed in previous editions and creating another successful and memorable event.
