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#Post#: 110567--------------------------------------------------
Re: UEFA Referee Updates
DIR By: ben
Date: August 19, 2026, 8:25 am
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All Elite and Category 1 referees, unless Russian officials,
have been invited.
To be reported the recent retirements of: Anthony Taylor ENG,
Benoît Bastien FRA and Slavko Vinčić SVN among the
Elite referees.
Omar Abdulkadir Artan will attend the course as well, maybe the
start of a UEFA career for him.
Main topics will be key messages by committee for the new season
and a check of the fitness level of all referees.
Geneva (SUI), 31 August - 2 September 2026
Elite:
BEL Erik Lambrechts
BIH Irfan Peljto
ENG Christopher Kavanagh
ENG Michael Oliver
ESP Jesús Gil Manzano
ESP Alejandro José Hernández Hernández
ESP José María Sánchez Martínez
FRA François Letexier
FRA Clément Turpin
GER Sven Jablonski
GER Daniel Siebert
GER Tobias Stieler
GER Felix Zwayer
ISR Orel Grinfeeld
ITA Marco Guida
ITA Maurizio Mariani
ITA Davide Massa
LTU Donatas Rumsas
NED Serdar Gozubuyuk
NED Danny Makkelie
NOR Espen Eskås
POL Szymon Marciniak
POR Joao Pedro Silva Pinheiro
ROU Istvan Kovacs
SCO Nicolas Walsh
SRB Srdjan Jovanovic
SUI Sandro Schärer
SVK Ivan Kružliak
SVN Rade Obrenovic
SWE Glenn Nyberg
TUR Halil Umut Meler
Category 1:
ALB Enea Jorgji
ALB Juxhin Xhaja
AUT Sebastian Gishamer
AUT Julian Weinberger
AZE Aliyar Aghayev
AZE Elchin Masiyev
BEL Jasper Vergoote
BEL Lawrence Visser
BUL Radoslav Gidzhenov
BUL Georgi Kabakov
CRO Patrik Kolarić
CRO Igor Pajac
CZE Ondrej Berka
DEN Jakob Kehlet
DEN Morten Krogh
ENG John Brooks
ESP Javier Alberola Rojas
ESP Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea
ESP Juan Martínez Munuera
EST Kristo Tohver
FIN Mohammed Al-Emara
FRA Jérôme Brisard
FRA Willy Delajod
FRA Jérémie Pignard
GEO Goga Kikacheishvili
GEO Giorgi Kruashvili
GER Harm Osmers
GER Daniel Schlager
GER Sascha Stegemann
GRE Vasileios Fotias
GRE Anastasios Papapetrou
HUN Balázs Berke
HUN Tamás Bognár
IRL Rob Hennessy
ISR Yigal Frid
ITA Andrea Colombo
ITA Simone Sozza
LTU Manfredas Lukjanukas
LVA Edgars Malcevs
LVA Andris Treimanis
MLT Ishmael Barbara
MNE Nikola Dabanovic
NED Allard Lindhout
NED Sander van der Eijk
NOR Rohit Saggi
POL Pawel Raczkowski
POL Damian Sylwestrzak
POR Antonio Emanuel Carvalho Nobre
POR Luis Godinho
ROU Marian Alexandru Barbu
ROU Horatiu Mircea Fesnic
ROU Radu Marian Petrescu
SRB Milos Milanovic
SRB Nenad Minakovic
SUI Urs Schnyder
SVK Michal Ocenáš
SVN Martin Matoša
SWE Mohammed Al-Hakim
UKR Mykola Balakin
UKR Oleksii Derevinskyi
CAF Guest:
SOM Omar Abdulkadir Artan
#Post#: 110569--------------------------------------------------
Re: UEFA Referee Updates
DIR By: Lanyardhater
Date: August 19, 2026, 9:13 am
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Thank you Ben, as ever. Very interesting regarding Omar Artan,
hence my ‘Wow’ rating!
#Post#: 110576--------------------------------------------------
Re: UEFA Referee Updates
DIR By: dtrv2
Date: August 19, 2026, 11:47 am
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Always interesting/worrying to see that of the big nations, ENG
has 3 Elite/Cat 1 referees, FRA has 5, ITA 5, ESP 6 and GER 7!
Why do English referees always seem to get stuck in Cat 2?!
#Post#: 110577--------------------------------------------------
Re: UEFA Referee Updates
DIR By: TheThingFromLewes
Date: August 19, 2026, 11:53 am
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Clearly Brooks will be the replacement for Taylor at some
point.. I’d expect him to get a CL game or two soon.
As for Group 1, it’s a bit of a lottery who would go in there..
my money would be Barrott or Jones with an outside shot.
#Post#: 110587--------------------------------------------------
Re: UEFA Referee Updates
DIR By: bmb
Date: August 19, 2026, 4:39 pm
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--- Quote from: dtrv2 link ---
>
> Always interesting/worrying to see that of the big nations,
ENG has 3 Elite/Cat 1 referees, FRA has 5, ITA 5, ESP 6 and GER
7! Why do English referees always seem to get stuck in Cat 2?!
>
>
>
--- End Quote ---
2 elite now Anthony Taylor has retired. Guess that leaves it
more open for progression.
#Post#: 110588--------------------------------------------------
Re: UEFA Referee Updates
DIR By: dtrv2
Date: August 19, 2026, 4:57 pm
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--- Quote from: bmb link ---
>
> [quote author=dtrv2 link=topic=7489.msg110576#msg110576
date=1787158020]
> Always interesting/worrying to see that of the big nations,
ENG has 3 Elite/Cat 1 referees, FRA has 5, ITA 5, ESP 6 and GER
7! Why do English referees always seem to get stuck in Cat 2?!
>
>
>
--- End Quote ---
2 elite now Anthony Taylor has retired. Guess that leaves it
more open for progression.
[/quote]
Yes, but 3 Elite/Cat 1 with Oliver, Kavanagh and Brooks.
With Attwell, England, Madley, Gillett all holding Cat 2 places
despite never really getting any games, apart from the odd very
early UEL/Conf League game each season, despite having been on
the list for several seasons, and with Barrott clearly being the
most popular Cat 2, perhaps if some were removed to free up
spaces, others could make waves like Barrott and grow the
English Elite/Cat 1 representation.
#Post#: 110829--------------------------------------------------
Re: UEFA Referee Updates
DIR By: TA_Ref
Date: August 25, 2026, 3:55 pm
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On an article by The Athletic, Graham Scott has said that
“barring injury or a major setback, then Farai Hallam will join
the International list in January”.
Great news for Hallam if that’s definitely true. I think he
could very easily be our next one/two UEFA Elite officials
#Post#: 110830--------------------------------------------------
Re: UEFA Referee Updates
DIR By: TheThingFromLewes
Date: August 25, 2026, 6:30 pm
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--- Quote from: dtrv2 link ---
>
> Always interesting/worrying to see that of the big nations,
ENG has 3 Elite/Cat 1 referees, FRA has 5, ITA 5, ESP 6 and GER
7! Why do English referees always seem to get stuck in Cat 2?!
>
--- End Quote ---
It was worse when Hackett was in charge at the PGMOL or Pro Ref
as it’s called now!
#Post#: 110832--------------------------------------------------
Re: UEFA Referee Updates
DIR By: Vernon Bear
Date: August 26, 2026, 6:46 am
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We need to get Barrott onto the First category asap and try and
work Hallam up the chain quickly too. Too many English refs in
the second category who aren't going to progress further - I had
forgot Attwell was still on the actual refereeing FIFA list
#Post#: 110833--------------------------------------------------
Re: UEFA Referee Updates
DIR By: Semi Retired
Date: August 26, 2026, 8:00 am
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What to do with the English FIFA list is always a delicate
balance. Historically I feel we’ve seen FIFA spot to be
pinnacle, and previously we’ve struggled to fill places.
Now we have our compliment and looks like Hallam will replace
Taylor on the list. Wouldn’t be too surprised if Barrott makes a
quick step up to first category.
But we also have Madley, Attwell, England, Gillett, Jones taking
up fifa spots but, rightly or wrongly, making little progress in
the middle with FIFA. Not sure how many VAR only spots we could
have, but it seems unlikely now that the above will ascend
further through the ranks, even if well utilised on VAR.
Would suggest Bramall is a bit unfortunate to not make fifa list
(assuming Hallam goes first) - he’s been a slow burner at
premier league level but over the last couple of years has been
trusted with some big clashes and has performed well - arguably
above some of those on the list.
Think it won’t be long before the likes of Kirk, Smith(s) are
knocking on the door and potentially even Ricardo, Kitchen,
Finnie, Elliot Bell, within the next 12-18 months should
performances justify.
Good that we have some real prospects, now the question is how
ambitious we will be to push them.
Overall, given the first couple of years at fifa will be cat 2,
primarily handling youth and conference type games and building
experience - I’d argue we should start using the FIFA list as
part of the development paths for future elite; and be willing
to be ruthless if people don’t get out of 2nd within a few
years.
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