Do FIFA refs have to be bilingual?

At international level, FIFA has four official languages: English, Spanish, French and German. Again, international referees must be able to speak good English. Of course, the old cliche says football is a universal language, and this is true in more ways than one.

Do FIFA refs speak multiple languages?

Beyond that, they're all required to speak English and are encouraged to also learn one of the other official FIFA languages: Spanish, French or German. In addition, many of the referees hail from non-English-speaking countries, meaning they have to be bilingual or multilingual to officiate for FIFA.

What language do FIFA World Cup referees speak?

With 32 sides taking to the field, there could be around 20 different languages spoken on the pitch, and FIFA lists the official languages spoken by their referees as English, Spanish, French and German.

What do you have to do to be a FIFA referee?

To be nominated as a FIFA Referee, you need to be at least 25 years (23 years for Assistant Referees) and at most 35 years of age on 1 January in the first year of nomination. The candidate will be required to be re-nominated and undergo medical and FIFA fitness tests every year.

Can FIFA referees have tattoos?

The Football Association reportedly tells non-league referees to be clean-shaven and hide their tattoos if they want to progress up to the English Football League.

What It Takes To Be A World Cup Referee

How much do FIFA refs get paid?

Match referee

In most cases, a match official oversees an average of two games, and FIFA adds the match fees they earned to their contracted pay. A successful referee who would officiate all the games, including the final, could earn up to $300,000 during the tournament.

How many languages do referees have to know?

When it comes to international matches, however, there are four main languages that are spoken, English, German, French, and Spanish. All international referees must have a good command of English as a starting point. According to FIFA, all match day officials are expected to have a good grasp of English.

Are there any English referees in the World Cup?

Anthony Taylor and Michael Oliver were the only two English referees officiating in the FIFA World Cup.

What is the official FIFA language?

The most popular organization is FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association), founded in 1904. It was established by seven national associations to foster friendly relations and to organize matches at all levels. This being said, four official languages were chosen: English, Spanish, French, and German.

Are FIFA referees full time?

Life as a FIFA Referee

Many referees hold full-time or part-time in addition to refereeing international matches.

Why does FIFA ask for language every time?

Every FIFA referees must be at least proficient in English. Thus, all official communication between the referee and his assistants, and the players and coaches are conducted in English. Football is originally an English sport, and it was invented in England. Thus, the English requirement makes sense.

Can football referees be from same country?

Although no referee squad and team are from the same country, often there are times when individual players are from the same country as the referee or assistants.

What is FIFA full in French?

The Fédération internationale de football association (FIFA; /ˈfiːfə/; French for International Association Football Federation) is the international governing body of association football, beach soccer, and futsal.

Is FIFA originally French?

FIFA was established on May 21, 1904, by seven national associations — Belgium, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland — to “promote the game of Association Football (as opposed to rugby or American football), to foster friendly relations among National Associations, Confederations, and their ...

What is the most spoken language in FIFA?

English is the most common, being listed as an official language of 9 countries competing in the World Cup.

Is the England referee a French fan?

Wasting no time to ridicule the referee, fans altered his Wikipedia bio to read: "Wilton Pereira Sampaio (born 28 December 1981) in Teresina de Goias, Goias, Brazil) is a French fan and Brazilian football referee.

Why are English referees not at the World Cup?

"At the time Mark left for Saudi Arabia, there were actually no competitions left to train the referees, so there was no opportunity to replace him with another English referee.

Are World Cup refs paid off?

During the last World Cup, which took place in Russia in 2018, the managerial body of the FIFA World Cup decided that each match referee would be compensated $70,000 for their involvement in the tournament.

What is the hardest sport to referee?

1 most dangerous sport to officiate is hockey. Players are flying around the ice with a rubber disc that can leave a stick at over 100 mph. If you have ever been hit by a puck without pads on, it hurts. These officials are right in the thick of the action, with that puck flying past them at outrageous speeds.

Is it hard to become a FIFA referee?

Being a soccer referee isn't a cakewalk. Referees undergo extensive practice sessions before every game, just like the players, to be able to run up to eight miles during a game. Without proper physical fitness, officiating in a game can turn out to be extremely difficult, if not impossible.

Do refs get nervous?

Channelling Nerves is Possible

Many referees can get very fearful and uptight before they officiate their appointed fixtures, so much so that they dread refereeing. Many may feel very irritable on the journey to the venue, they may even be sick or in some cases they refuse to officiate.

What sport pays refs the most?

Who is the highest paid referee in Europe?

How much do FIFA refs run in a game?

Referees typically cover a distance six to eight miles during a 90-minute match, according to Werner Helsen, a sports scientist with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).

What does FFF mean in French football?

French Football Federation (FFF)