FIFA – The first of three preparatory seminars for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™ match officials is taking place this week in Doha
The “Road to Australia & New Zealand” project started back in 2020
Representatives from Europe are the first to come together, with two further seminars planned in the next month.
‘A rigorous and focused preparation.’ Those were the words of FIFA Referees Committee Chairman Pierluigi Collina earlier this month when announcing the 33 female referees, 55 female assistant referees and 19 video match officials (VMO) selected to form ‘FIFA Team One’ for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand™.
This week, the Qatari capital of Doha has been the setting for European match officials, the first of three preparatory seminars. On the opening evening, the FIFA President Gianni Infantino visited the group to look ahead to the showpiece event later this year.
The elite match officials from Asia (AFC), Africa (CAF) and Oceania (OFC) will also travel to Doha next week, with those from the Concacaf and CONMEBOL confederations concluding the seminars in Montevideo, at the end of February.
FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 – Referee Seminar I – Doha
“I think these seminars are brilliant because you get to come together as a group. You come here and you get the exposure to work with VAR, being on the training field in the morning, practicing things, learning from other referees,” said Rebecca Welch.
The English official – a relative late starter to refereeing after qualifying at the age of 27 – became the first woman to referee a men’s Championship match on Saturday 21 January, and is now preparing for her first FIFA World Cup.
“Every minute you’re here, you’re learning” continued Welch. “They’re long days but that’s what we’re here for. We’ve got a physio team; we’ve got technical instructors. So, it’s a big opportunity to come and learn. Although it’s intense for the four days, as referees, we love it and that’s why we’re doing it.”
