FIFA Appoints 54 Officials For U-20 World Cup Chile 2025

Photo: WAM

The FIFA Referees Committee has announced the list of match officials who will be officiating the upcoming FIFA U-20 World Cup 2025 in Chile. This tournament will begin on 27th September and will end on 19th October. The announcement was made on FIFA’s official website, and it shows how FIFA is getting ready for this big youth football event.

Who Are These Officials?

FIFA has selected a total of 54 match officials for the U-20 World Cup in Chile. Out of these, 18 are referees and 36 are assistant referees. They come from 22 different FIFA Member Associations, which means these officials belong to 22 different countries that are part of FIFA.

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The selection of these referees is very important because these are the people who will make sure that the matches are fair and rules are followed properly. Without referees and assistant referees, there can be no match. They have to watch the game very carefully, make decisions quickly, and handle pressure calmly.

Why Did FIFA Select These Officials?

According to Pierluigi Collina, who is the Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, this group of officials was chosen because FIFA wants to give them opportunities to gain more experience. He said that FIFA is working hard to provide referees with chances to officiate in tournaments where young football players are showing their talent. This helps both the referees and the players to grow together in the world of football.

What Is The Football Video Support (FVS) System?

One of the most important parts of this announcement was about a new system called Football Video Support (FVS). This system will be tested during the U-20 World Cup in Chile. FVS is a type of technology that helps referees make better decisions during a match.

Earlier, FIFA used a system called VAR (Video Assistant Referee). VAR is already used in big football tournaments like the FIFA World Cup and in major football leagues. But VAR needs many cameras, specialist video officials, and advanced technology, which is very costly. Many countries cannot afford to use VAR in their local leagues or youth tournaments because of its high cost.

That is why FIFA developed this new FVS system. The FVS system is a cheaper and simpler alternative to VAR. It does not need as many cameras or video officials. Instead, it works differently to keep the cost low but still helps referees in making fair decisions.

How Does FVS Work?

Unlike VAR, the FVS system does not check every big incident in the match by itself. Instead, it gives coaches a limited number of review requests. This means if a coach thinks the referee made a clear and obvious mistake in a big situation, they can ask for a review using FVS.

For example, a coach can request a review if there is:

• A goal scored and they think it should not count.

• A penalty decision that looks wrong.

• A direct red card given unfairly.

• A mistake in identifying which player committed a foul.

In these cases, the coach can ask the referee to use the FVS system to check the decision again. Players can also tell their coaches if they think something was wrong, and then the coach can use their review request.

Why Is FIFA Using FVS?

Pierluigi Collina said that this system was developed because many national football associations asked FIFA for a cheaper alternative to VAR. They wanted a system that can still help referees but does not need so much money to set up.

FIFA tested the FVS system during the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia and the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic last year. According to FIFA, the system gave good results in those tournaments. Now, they want to test it in the men’s U-20 World Cup in Chile to see how it works there.

Why Is This Important For Football?

This is important because not every country can afford VAR. If the FVS system works well, it can be used in youth tournaments and local leagues around the world. This will help in making football fairer everywhere, not just in big tournaments. Referees will be able to take help from technology without worrying about its high cost.

It will also help the referees learn how to use video technology in their matches, which will make them more confident and prepared for bigger tournaments in the future.

What Did Pierluigi Collina Say?

Pierluigi Collina is a famous former referee, and now he is the Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee. He said that the selection of these match officials and the testing of the FVS system are part of FIFA’s continuous efforts to improve football. He wants referees to get good training and practical experience in important tournaments. He also wants football to become fairer with the help of technology so that players, coaches, and fans feel happy with the decisions taken during matches.

When Is The U-20 World Cup Happening?

The FIFA U-20 World Cup Chile 2025 will start on 27th September and will continue until 19th October. Many young talented players from different countries will participate in this tournament. It will be a great chance for them to show their skills on an international stage. It is also a great chance for referees to gain experience and learn to use the new FVS system properly.

FIFA’s announcement about the 54 match officials and the use of the new Football Video Support system is a big step towards making football fairer and more inclusive. By using a cheaper alternative to VAR, FIFA is making sure that even tournaments with less money can still use video technology to help referees.

This decision also shows that FIFA cares not just about the players but also about the referees, who work very hard to make matches fair and enjoyable. The upcoming U-20 World Cup in Chile will not just be a tournament for young football players, but also a testing ground for the future of refereeing in world football.