FIFA has announced a list of 117 match officials from 41 member associations who will officiate at the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup 2025, including a strong representation from Africa’s top referees.
The global tournament, set to run from 14 June to 13 July 2025 in the United States, will feature 35 referees, 58 assistant referees, and 24 video match officials, all selected following months of preparation and seminars with top officials from across FIFA’s six confederations.
Referees from Africa, known for their increasing prominence at global tournaments in recent years, will once again have the opportunity to showcase their expertise on the world stage. Their selection reaffirms the continent’s growing influence and credibility in top-level officiating.
FIFA Referees Committee chairman Pierluigi Collina described the appointments as a “privilege,” adding that those selected are among the best in the world:
“The selected referees have the privilege of being part of this historic first edition. I’m sure they’ll be thrilled. The bar is high after the excellent performances in previous FIFA tournaments.”
Among the innovations introduced for this tournament, referees will wear body cameras for the first time in FIFA competition history. These cameras will offer fans a new experience, with live footage broadcast exclusively through DAZN, the tournament’s global broadcaster.
The cameras will also aid referee development by offering unique perspectives during match debriefings and performance reviews.
Additionally, new time-wasting rules for goalkeepers will be trialed. Goalkeepers holding the ball for longer than eight seconds will result in a corner kick awarded to the opposing team, replacing the traditional indirect free kick after six seconds.
FIFA Director of Refereeing Massimo Busacca emphasized the importance of global consistency while understanding different football cultures:
“Football is the same everywhere, but we must understand different mentalities. That’s key to top-level officiating.”
With African referees continuing to play an essential role in international football, their inclusion in this landmark event underlines the continent’s importance in FIFA’s global vision.
The full list of match officials selected for the tournament is available on the FIFA website.
