Brazilian referee Sandro Meira Ricci has been appointed to handle the final match of the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup, between FC Bayern München and Raja Casablanca, to be played on 21 December 2013 in Marrakech. He will be assisted by his countrymen Emerson de Carvalho and Marcelo Van Gasse.
Sandro Ricci at his first FIFA final (c) emol.com
A FIFA referee since 2011, he joined in 2013 the list of the preselected officials for 2014 WC. This is his second FIFA tournament, aftter the 2013 U20 WC held in Turkey, competition in which he officiated two group-stage matches, one quarterfinal and the third-place final. Prior to this assignment, the last CONMEBOL referee appointed for a FIFA final had beenMartín Vázquez from Uruguay, which handled the FIFA U17 WC Final in 2009. For Sandro Ricci, this will be the second match in the competition, after having refereed a quarterfinal. To complete the officiating crew for this final, Mark Geiger will act as fourth official and Sean Hurd as reserve assistant referee.
Match 8 - Final
21 December 2013, 20:30 CET (Marrakech) FC Bayern München - Raja Casablanca
Referee: Sandro Ricci (BRA) Assistant Referee 1: Emerson De Carvalho (BRA) Assistant Referee 2: Marcelo Van Gasse (BRA) Fourth Official: Mark Geiger (USA)
Reserve AR: Sean Hurd (USA)
A few hours earlier, the third place final will be played in the same stadium, between Guangzhou Evergrande FC and Atletico Mineiro. The referee selected by FIFA for this clash is the Iranian Alireza Faghani, at his second match in this tournament, after a quarterfinal. Néant Alioum will take the duties of fourth official.
Match 7 - Third Place Final
21 December 2013, 17:30 CET (Marrakech) Guangzhou Evergrande FC - Atletico Mineiro
The Gambian official has been appointed for his second match in this CWC. He will officiate the first semifinal of the tournament, to be played between Guangzhou Evergrande and Bayern München.
Carlos Velasco Carballo has been appointed for the second semifinal. This will be the first game ever in a FIFA tournament for the Spanish official.
Furthermore, Mark Geiger will handle the match for the fifth place.
Carlos Velasco Carballo, appointed for a semifinal (c) zimbio.com
Match 4 - Semifinals 17 December 2013, 20:30 CET (Agadir) Guangzhou Evergrande FC - FC Bayern München Referee: Bakary Gassama (GAM) Assistant Referee 1: Angesom Ogbamariam (ERI) Assistant Referee 2: Evarist Menkouande (CMR) Fourth Official: Néant Alioum (CMR) Reserve AR: Peter Edibi (NGA)
Match 6 - Semifinals 18 December 2013, 20:30 CET (Marrakech) Raja Casablanca - Atletico Mineiro Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (ESP) Assistant Referee 1: Roberto Alonso Fernández (ESP) Assistant Referee 2: Juan Carlos Juste Jimenez (ESP) Fourth Official: Alireza Faghani (IRN) Reserve AR: Hassan Kamranifar (IRN)
Match 5 - Fifth Place Match 18 December 2013, 17:30 CET (Marrakech) Al Ahly SC - CF Monterrey Referee: Mark Geiger (USA) Assistant Referee 1: Sean Hurd (USA) Assistant Referee 2: Joe Fletcher (CAN) Fourth Official: Sandro Ricci (BRA) Reserve AR: Emerson De Carvalho (BRA)
The appointments for the upcoming matches will follow soon, thank as always to our source Árbitro Internacional.
Thank to Árbitro Internacional we know the officials appointed by FIFA for quarterfinals matches of 2013 Club World Cup. Both games will be played on 14 December, in Agadir.
Iranian Alireza Faghani (c) ffiri.ir
Match 2 - Quarterfinals 14 December 2013, 17:00 CET (Agadir) Guangzhou Evergrande FC - Al Ahly SC Referee: Sandro Ricci (BRA) Assistant Referee 1: Emerson Carvalho (BRA) Assistant Referee 2: Marcelo Van Gasse (BRA) Fourth Official: Néant Alioum (CMR) Reserve AR: Peter Edibi (NGA)
Match 3 - Quarterfinals 14 December 2013, 20:30 CET (Agadir) Raja Casablanca - CF Monterrey Referee: Alireza Faghani (IRN) Assistant Referee 1: Hassan Kamranifar (IRN) Assistant Referee 2: Reza Sokhandan (IRN) Fourth Official: Néant Alioum (CMR) Reserve AR: Peter Edibi (NGA)
According to Árbitro Internacional, Gambian official Bakary Gassama has been appointed by FIFA for the opener match of 2013 CWC, to be played between Raja Casablanca (MAR) and Auckland City (NZL) on 11 December 2013. The match will be a play off for the qualification to quarterfinals. Despite of the fact that a tean from the African confederation will be involved, FIFA has immediately broken the confederations criterion, which might have not allowed a referee from CAF to handle this match.
In addition to that, Evarist Menkouande from Cameroon will join the CAF trio as AR2, due to the injury suffered by the preselected assistant Felicien Kabanda from Rwanda. This is another significant change in FIFA referees policy, since in the past years, due to an injury, the whole trio was forced to stay out from a certain competition.
Bakary Gassama (c) ghanamma.com
The officiating crew will be completed by Carlos Velasco Carballo from Spain, acting as fourth official, and his countryman Roberto Alonso Fernández as reserve assistant referee.
2013 FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP - Play off for quarterfinals 11 December 2013, 20:30 CET (Agadir) Raja Casablanca - Auckland City FC Referee: Bakary Gassama (GAM) Assistant Referee 1: Angesom Ogbamariam (ERI) Assistant Referee 2: Evarist Menkouande (CMR) Fourth Official: Carlos Velasco Carballo (ESP) Reserve AR: Roberto Alonso Fernández (ESP)
These are the referees appointed for 2013 FIFA Club World Cup. FIFA has not appointed Oceanian referees this time, while two African trios are attending the tournament played in Morocco.
Carlos Velasco to attend his first FIFA tournament (c) ZIMBIO
Turkish match official Cüneyt Çakır has been appointed to take control over Sunday's FIFA Club World Cup final between Brazil's Corinthians and England's Chelsea London. Having been already in charge of the quarterfinal between Ulsan Hyundai and Monterrey, the professional referee based in Istanbul will be accompanied by his countrymen Bahattin Duran and Tarik Ongun, while Alireza Faghani and Hassan Kamranifar of Iran will complete the officiating crew.
Cüneyt Çakır (TUR) in charge of Yokohama's final (c) ZIMBIO
For the former Turkish insurance manager, it will be his first international final ever, although he has already assumed huge responsibility in a UEFA Champions League semifinal (Barcelona - Chelsea), a UEFA Europa League (Fulham - Hamburger SV) and finally the semifinal clash between Portugal and Spain at EURO 2012. He has been furthermore elected as this blog's best European referee in 2012 (exact results will follow during the next days).
It will be the first time since 2009 that FIFA's actually established principle of continental neutrality is broken, meaning that the referee to be selected has to come from a different confederation than the involved teams, as long as they join two different confederations.
Concerning the match for the 3rd place, FIFA has nominated an officiating team consisting of Peter O'Leary and Mark Rule of New Zealand, Ravinesh Kumar of Fiji, Nawaf Shukrallah as well as Yaser Tulefat both coming from Bahrain.
(EGY) Al-Ahly
Monterrey (MEX)
Sunday, 16 December 2012, 16:30 JST Match for the 3rd Place - International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama (Japan)
Referee: Peter O'Leary (NZL)
Assistant Referee 1: Mark Rule (NZL)
Assistant Referee 2: Ravinesh Kumar (FIJ)
Fourth Official: Nawaf Shukrallah (BHR) Reserve Assistant Referee: Yaser Tulefat (BHR) Blog-Referee Observer: Philipp S. (GER)
(BRA) Corinthians
Chelsea (ENG)
Sunday, 16 December 2012, 19:30 JST Final - International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama (Japan)
After having met on 17th and 18th October, FIFA's referee committee has appointed seven trios to take control over December's 2012 Club World Cup which will be, like in the past years, hosted by Japan.
Although they are competitions solely joined by clubs and not by national teams, these annual Club World Cups are actually of fundamental relevance for the selection of the 2014 World Cup officials, since the main condition the chosen referees and assistant referees had to fulfill is being on the short list for the 20th World Cup. In addition, it is certainly an opportunity for these referees to show their skills and collect experiences in an international competition. However, it may be questioned to what extent a tournament with only eight matches allows that at all... The most meaningful circumstance of this competition is that FIFA will test their recently approved Goal-Line Technology for the first time ever in an official competition.
Besides, it is rumoured that the officials who will attend this year's Club World Cup could be excluded from the youth World Cups and Confed Cup in 2013. But now, let's talk about those who have been selected.
Asia (AFC zone)
First, the good news is that FIFA has finally gathered its wits and realized that the whole seven slots AFC has got on the prospective list of referees for 2014 World Cup do not only consist of the name Irmatov. However, they still do not bestow a FIFA competition bow on Alireza Faghani, who maintains the only Asian official on the list without a FIFA competition match as main referee. Faghani, Kamranifar and Sokhandan, all from Iran, will attend the tournament as reserve trio. Instead, another aspiring official has been nominated.
Nawaf Shukralla (2nd left) (c) flickr
After having participated in 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup, Bahrain's Nawaf Ghayyath Shukralla has been invited for the second time by FIFA to attend a FIFA organized tournament prior to 2014 World Cup. In Mexico, where the tournament was held, he lost his assistants due to failed fitness tests and only refereed two matches including the round of 16 match between Argentina and England.
In October 2012, it was made public that Shukralla would be in charge of 2012 AFC Champions League final (in South Korea on 10 November), which means his first final in an internationally prestigious competition.
At Japan's Club World Cup, the Bahraini will be accompanied by Yaser Abdulla Tulefat and Ebrahim Saleh, both of Bahrain. As the quality shown by officials like Ravshan Irmatov, Yuichi Nishimura, Ali Al Badwawi and also Benjamin Williams has been very high at their past FIFA involvements, Shukralla's way to a potential World Cup is certainly stony; FIFA and its committee therefore must have very high expectations from him.
Africa (CAF zone)
Algeria's Djamel Haimoudi will head the only African trio at the tournament. After his compatriot Benouza's appearance at a Club World Cup (in 2008) and Mohammed Guezzaz of Morocco (in 2005), this will be the third time for North African referees to officiate at this tournament.
Djamel Haimoudi (c) maracana
For the 41-year old Algerian, it is also the second FIFA tournament in his career. He attended Colombia's U-20 World Cup in 2011 and refereed three matches including the round of 16 clash between Portugal and Guatemala where he decided the match with a wrong penalty kick decision. There has been a change with regard to his assistant referees by the way. After Foaad El Maghrabi and Ayman Degaish, his new assistant referees are the experienced Redouane Achik of Morocco, who stayed in one's mind for a brilliant onside call in the 2010 World Cup match between Slovenia and USA, and the significantly younger Algerian Abdelhak Etchiali. Having been elected as best Arabian referee in 2011, it is quite difficult to point out the chances Haimoudi has got with regard to the next World Cup. With Belaid Lacarne, he naturally has someone in the FIFA committee who could be able to push him a bit. Nevertheless, the aspect which I most connect with this referee is an excessive usage of his whistle, specially after scored goals. So please Mr Haimoudi: save our ears!
North - and Central America and the Caribbeans (CONCACAF zone)
Marco Rodríguez (l.), one of his 15 red cards (c) ZIMBIO
Instead of appointing a referee who could need as much international and intercontinental experience as possible, FIFA has taken the decision to appoint someone who is certainly no "no-name", specially in Australia or Chile. Two times World Cup referee Marco Rodríguez of Mexico, widely called "Chiquidracula" or "Chiquimarco", will attend the Club World Cup for the second time. Assisted by Marvin Torrentera and Marcos Quintero, the teacher who works at a German school in Mexico City will therefore go to his seventh FIFA organized tournament. In 2007, he took charge of the Club World Cup's final between Boca Juniors and AC Milan, where he dismissed two players. His card statistics are unbelievable. In 15 matches at FIFA organized tournaments, he issued 83 yellow cards and dismissed 15 players. Consequently, the players should be warned..
South America (CONMEBOL zone)
Carlos Vera (c) deportespe.terra
Carlos Vera is the first Ecuadorian ever to take charge of a FIFA Club World Cup. The 36-year old was never in charge of a FIFA organized tournament, nor of more than a Copa Libertadores quarterfinal in South America. This tournament will be fundamental for FIFA to figure out whether he is a referee to be regarded as promising for 2014 World Cup. Therefore it may be presumed that they'll appoint him for two matches at this competition. Personally, I cannot imagine that this will stay his last FIFA tournament before 2014, as such a short and swift tournament like the Club World Cup is surely unable to create a profound image him. Two very young assistant referees are accompanying Vera on the prospective list and also at Japan's Club World Cup: 1983 born Christian Lescano (who also accompanied Omar Ponce in 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup) and 1980 born Byron Romero.
Oceania (OFC zone) It is honestly speaking quite annoying to always repeat oneself. Peter O'Leary (photo) of New Zealand will again take charge of a Club World Cup (for the fifth time; he always stayed with one match the previous three times), it will be his ninth appearance at an international FIFA competition. After a good and promising U-20 World Cup in Colombia with four matches, where he partly showed very good performances, and Michael Hester's retirement, everything seemed to be ready for O'Leary to finally referee a World Cup match himself. However, he then received the second lowest mark of our blog observers at 2012 Olympic Games, where his first match (UA Emirates - Uruguay) was also his last one. His assistant referees Jan Hendrik Hintz of New Zealand and Ravinesh Kumar of Fiji revealed weaknesses in different terms, but will accompany him again. Tahiti's Norbert Hauata has to stay at home again, nonetheless, his time will and must come I suppose. At this point, one may again outline the aptitude of New Zealand's federation. Instead of risking that there will be a World Cup without a New Zealander, they just split their officials onto both available trios so that they then can boast at any rate how excellent they have done their work, since there is a NZL official at a World Cup...just a theory? I am not sure..
Europe (UEFA zone) Last but not least, UEFA's representative. Turkish official Cüneyt Çakır will head his common team further consisting of Bahattin Duran and Tarik Ongun at this tournament. After five matches at 2011 U-20 World Cup in Colombia, this is another device that not only UEFA, but also FIFA has taken a fancy to this referee.
Cüneyt Çakır (TUR)(c) inbol.net
After a very good performance in last season's UEFA Champions League semifinal between Barcelona and Chelsea, he became one of those referees at 2012 UEFA Euro who were spared from crucial mistakes and who showed two good performances in both group stage matches. Not many officials managed that at this European Championship. The logical consequence was the circumstance that Çakır had the honour to take control over the Iberian semifinal between Spain and Portugal and furthermore accompanying Pedro Proenca in the final match as fourth official. In addition, one has to underline he was the first Turkish referee ever who managed that. Without any doubt and with the benefit of hindsight, one can state that this referee is one of the best "accomplishments" since Collina is joining UEFA's referee committee and that he certainly counts to 2012's top3 in Europe. One of his key elements are his mental strength, phlegm and partly zero tolerance style. One may raise doubts concerning the sense of appointing him for this tournament, anyway, there will be enough opportunities for other referees, who have not made their FIFA debut like Milorad Mazic or Jonas Eriksson, to still show their skills in one of the three major FIFA competitions in 2013 - probably, Çakır will attend one of them as well: the U-20 World Cup is going to take place in his mother country Turkey.
FIFA has selected the referees and assistant referees to take charge of 2012 Club World Cup in Japan from 6-16 December 2012. Six trios - one of each confederation - will attend the tournament accompanied by a reserve trio from Asia.
Djamel Haimoudi (2nd left) is among the CWC officials (c) GETTY/FIFA
REFEREE with ASSISTANT REFEREES (by Confederation)
Member Association
Date of Birth
ASIA (AFC)
Referee
SHUKRALLA
Nawaf Ghayyath
Bahrain
13.10.1976
Assistant 1
ABDULLA TULEFAT
Yaser Khalil
Bahrain
24.06.1974
Assistant 2
SALEH
Ebrahim Mubarak
Bahrain
13.06.1974
AFRICA (CAF)
Referee
HAIMOUDI
Djamel
Algeria
10.12.1970
Assistant 1
ACHIK
Redouane
Morocco
21.04.1972
Assistant 2
ETCHIALI
Abdelhak
Algeria
27.06.1981
NORTH, CENTRAL AMERICA and the CARIBBEANS (CONCACAF)
