Ismail Elfath was enjoying a pleasant day at the park with his children in Texas when an important notification popped up on his phone. It read, “Congratulations.” Filled with joy, he embraced his wife tightly. FIFA had selected him to officiate at his second World Cup, bringing a wave of pride and relief. “Being part of a World Cup is a dream for every referee, and being chosen for a second time indicates that you’ve maintained your performance for over eight years,” he remarked.
For referees, the World Cup stands as the ultimate achievement in their professional journeys. This esteemed tournament occurs every four years, and only a handful of officials earn the chance to participate. “To be selected, you must first excel in your own country, but that doesn’t guarantee your spot,” stated former Swiss referee Urs Meier.
While FIFA may select two referees from specific nations, many outstanding officials from other countries often miss out. For example, UEFA chose Germany’s Daniel Siebert to officiate the Champions League final on May 30, the pinnacle of club football in Europe, yet FIFA overlooked him for the World Cup, favoring his fellow countryman Felix Zwayer instead.
In the years leading up to the World Cup, FIFA instructors compile a roster of potential referees, meticulously evaluating their performances. During FIFA matches, retired referees submit reports from the stands, while instructors assess other games remotely. After observing Premier League referee Anthony Taylor in a European match, Pierluigi Collina, FIFA’s head of refereeing, texted Taylor urging him to improve his movement. Kathryn Nesbitt, the first woman to officiate a men’s World Cup knockout game, recalled how FIFA instructors scrutinized her decisions made months earlier in Major League Soccer.
A single mistake can dramatically affect a referee’s chances of being selected. Before the 2010 World Cup, Tom Henning Øvrebø was considered one of Europe’s top referees. However, after he denied Chelsea a clear penalty during their 2009 Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, his World Cup aspirations dwindled. José María Sánchez Martínez seemed ready to represent Spain in the 2026 World Cup, but inconsistent performances led to his compatriot Alejandro Hernández Hernández being chosen instead.
Missing out on selection can signify the end of a referee’s World Cup aspirations. In June 2025, I encountered Marco Guida, a notable Serie A referee, on a beach in Naples, where he was recovering from a hamstring injury. He shared that the anxiety of potentially missing the World Cup had taken a toll on his mental health: “If I’m not officiating in Italy or the Champions League, my chances of selection diminish.” Ultimately, FIFA excluded him, and by the next tournament, he would be in his late 40s, an age he feared would be too old for refereeing. “What happened to Øvrebø still affects me; the pain of that experience is still fresh. The margins are razor-thin,” he expressed.
Throughout the selection process, Elfath often wondered if he would receive that sought-after notification. During the 2024 Copa América, he sustained a serious knee injury, but he returned to officiate a year later after undergoing two surgeries.
Before even considering the World Cup, he had to pass FIFA’s stringent fitness test. To officiate at an international level, referees must complete 40 timed 75-meter sprints with only an 18-second recovery interval. World Cup candidates also face additional assessments for agility, speed, and strength.
A representative from US Soccer traveled to Texas to oversee Elfath’s fitness evaluation, accompanied by his assistant referees. If he failed, they would also miss the World Cup. Referees are selected as teams, along with their domestic assistant referees.
Successfully passing the test did not relieve the pressure. After matches and training sessions, he uploaded data from his GPS tracking devices to applications monitored by FIFA. “They tracked every acceleration and deceleration I made,” he detailed. He also provided information about his sleep and recovery.
In December 2025, FIFA removed three referees from its North American candidate list, but Elfath remained and received an invitation to Rio de Janeiro for the final pre-tournament selection seminar, where candidates underwent rigorous evaluations. A sports scientist assessed their physical responses under simulated stress, monitoring heart rates and breathing patterns. They reviewed footage of potential penalty calls, and a doctor evaluated Elfath’s knee stability. “As we approach the World Cup, the scrutiny level is beyond what most people realize,” he noted.
For months, every notification on his phone brought anxiety. Finally, that morning, FIFA’s announcement arrived. Congratulations flooded in from friends across the globe, and Elfath barely had time to respond. Recognized as one of Major League Soccer’s top referees, his demanding schedule had taken him from the Tokyo Olympics to the 2022 World Cup, where he served as the fourth official for the final. Now, on his day off, he had promised to focus entirely on his children. “I had told them I wouldn’t be on my phone, yet there I was checking it,” Elfath recalled. “They called me out on it!”
The pressure surrounding World Cup selection is minimal compared to the challenge of officiating the event itself, according to Meier. Referees are responsible for managing history, not just a game. During France 1998, Meier officiated the match between the USA and Iran, the first encounter between the two nations since the 1979 Iranian revolution and hostage crisis. Protocol dictated that the Iranian players should approach the US team to shake hands, but Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei forbade it, which meant the US team had to take the initiative. Before the kick-off, both teams posed for a photograph together. “It was such an emotional moment,” Meier reminisced, struggling to hold back tears. “Those fleeting moments made refereeing worthwhile.”
Nine days later, Argentina faced England in the Round of 16. Referee Kim Milton Nielsen recalls the charged atmosphere preceding the match, heightened by lingering memories of the Falklands war and Diego Maradona’s controversial “Hand of God” goal.
This historical context can complicate even the most straightforward decisions. Referees are acutely aware that their choices can shape their careers. In that match, Nielsen issued a red card to David Beckham for a foul on Diego Simeone. Although it was undeniably a foul, Nielsen admitted that he hesitated, drawing on all his experience. “I realized I couldn’t close my eyes just because it was David Beckham in a World Cup match.” Nearly three decades later, Nielsen still encounters people who ask, “Aren’t you the referee who sent off Beckham?”
Not every World Cup match carries such political weight, yet the pressure remains unyielding. As Elfath noted, “Even those who don’t watch football tune in for the World Cup.”
Darren Cann retired in 2025 after officiating 579 Premier League matches as an assistant referee. As part of Howard Webb’s officiating team, he participated in two World Cups: 2014 in Brazil and the 2010 edition in South Africa, where he officiated the final. “It’s the culmination of four years of hard work and sacrifice,” he stated, fully aware that such an opportunity may never arise again.
Incorrect calls become increasingly painful, while correct ones bring immense joy. In South Africa, Cann officiated the match between Brazil and Chile in the Round of 16. The day before, Jorge Larrionda’s assistant had failed to recognize that Frank Lampard’s goal had crossed the line in England’s loss to Germany, while Roberto Rosetti’s assistant had allowed a clearly offside Carlos Tévez goal. Prior to kick-off, FIFA officials delivered a stern warning: “No more mistakes allowed.” With Brazil leading 1-0, Kaká delivered a pass to Luís Fabiano, who rounded the goalkeeper and scored. The Chile defenders raised their flags for offside, but Cann kept his flag down. Fabiano had been marginally onside. Cann felt tears welling up. “It was one of those beautiful moments where I knew that decision was correct,” he recalled.
Even seemingly simple matches exert significant pressure on referees, according to Slavko Vincic. “There’s heightened emotion because national pride is at stake.” In 2024, the Slovenian officiated the Champions League final, but nothing compared to his first World Cup match in 2022: Argentina, the tournament favorites, against Saudi Arabia.
As the Saudis sensed a historic upset after taking an early lead in the second half, they played with fervor, celebrating every tackle and pressuring Vincic. The Argentinians matched their intensity, pushing Vincic to his limits. “All the players were giving 150%, so as a referee, I needed to be fully engaged,” he explained. As the match approached full time, Vincic’s legs felt heavy, and his mind clouded, making it difficult to maintain his composure. “In the midst of all that chaos, the challenge is to stay calm and credible.” He missed a collision between the Saudi goalkeeper and a teammate that knocked the player out, leaving him to wonder if the strain had contributed to his oversight.
In Nesbitt’s experience, the heightened stakes of World Cup football sharpen her instincts on the field. “You can anticipate passes before they happen,” she observed. Elfath agreed but highlighted another challenge: effectively communicating with players from vastly different cultural backgrounds. “The way you engage with a Japanese player differs from how you interact with a Cameroonian. If you fail to adapt, issues will arise,” he warned.
Before a match, the hours leading up to kickoff can be mentally exhausting. His mind races with thoughts of potential catastrophic mistakes. Prior to his first game, Portugal versus Ghana, he walked the pitch, watching fans waving Cristiano Ronaldo jerseys. His stomach knotted with anxiety. “What stands out is how magnified everything felt,” he reflected. “Every steward, every logo, every moment … it’s as if time slowed down and expanded.” He only began to relax after blowing the whistle. “It’s just 22 players – and that, I can manage.”
The hours following matches can also be challenging. After Portugal triumphed over Ghana, the Ghanaian coach Otto Addo labeled Elfath’s decision to award Ronaldo a penalty a “special gift,” igniting a whirlwind of online criticism. Family members sent him screenshots of the backlash. Despite confirmation from the video assistant referee, he felt anxious. After Ghana fans targeted him on LinkedIn, his chief executive at a software company offered to assist him legally. Elfath reassured him that such scrutiny is part of a World Cup referee’s reality. “Small moments can escalate into significant events,” he remarked.
For many referees, the periods between matches prove to be the most challenging. Initially, the atmosphere is “almost celebratory,” Meier recounted. “We’ve all undergone this process together, creating a bond that only we can understand,” Nesbitt added.
However, this camaraderie shifts as the group stage nears its conclusion. Referees find themselves competing against one another, with top performers during training and matchdays earning appointments for the knockout rounds while others face elimination. “If you’re not fully committed, it’s noticeable,” Nesbitt stated.
“The end of the group stage is the toughest period,” Elfath admitted. “A single poor performance can end your journey.”
Even a correct decision can lead to an early exit. During Qatar 2022, in Uruguay’s final group match against Ghana, Siebert denied a late penalty appeal from Edinson Cavani, which could have secured Uruguay’s advancement. Instead, they were eliminated. FIFA supported Siebert’s ruling but sent him home, as keeping him would have prolonged the controversy.
After his second match in Qatar, Vincic received an email from FIFA detailing his flights home. He wondered whether the chaos during Argentina versus Saudi Arabia had influenced the decision. “You never know, but dwelling on these thoughts can be destructive,” he remarked.
For referees, there exist “three tournaments within the tournament,” according to Elfath. The second begins after the group stage, featuring the last 16 and quarter-finals. By this stage, hotel corridors grow quieter, and dinner becomes more subdued. Isolated from their families in the team hotel, some referees begin to feel a sense of loneliness.
Referees arrive weeks before the first match to acclimatize, Nesbitt explained, and the only place to unwind is in their rooms. “Whenever you step outside, you must be vigilant,” she emphasized. Cann recalled the heartbreak of witnessing referees he had grown close to being sent home. “It’s devastating,” he stated.
There’s ample time to reflect on contentious calls, as Elfath did regarding the Ronaldo penalty decision. To succeed, World Cup referees must manage their emotions both on and off the field—this includes avoiding excessive highs after victories and steering clear of despair following setbacks.
In Elfath’s next match, Cameroon’s Vincent Aboubakar celebrated scoring a winning goal against Brazil by removing his shirt. Elfath approached him with a smile, shook his hand, and then issued a second yellow card followed by a red. Fans and analysts praised Elfath’s handling of the situation. Later, hotel staff stopped him in the hallway, grinning and informing him he had gone viral. “I became the most popular referee in the world,” he joked.
In between matches, referees prepare meticulously. However, if they fail to find ways to relax, the pressure can become overwhelming. “Only thinking about football will drive you insane,” Elfath cautioned.
During France 1998, when referees were prohibited from exploring Paris, Meier discreetly roamed the streets. “Some referees handle it well, while others struggle significantly with mental health during this time,” he shared. This was not the case for the English team, Cann noted. To unwind, they enjoyed watching Peter Kay’s comedy show Phoenix Nights and played James Bond Top Trumps.
Elfath refers to the latter stages as the “dream phase”: the semi-finals and final. “Whatever you do next will be the highlight of your career.” Not all referees will receive another match assignment. Some may serve as fourth officials, while others remain on standby. FIFA refrains from assigning referees to matches involving their own country to maintain several options for the final.
The referees chosen for the final are typically announced in front of their fellow officials. This can be nerve-wracking, as everyone hopes to hear their name. Those who do not will applaud, but it can also be a crushing experience.
Every referee secretly aspires to officiate the final. When Taylor reached the dream phase in Qatar, he envisioned it vividly. England had been eliminated by France, which cleared the path forward. Excitement surged when he wasn’t assigned to a semi-final. However, when Argentina advanced to the final, Collina informed him he couldn’t officiate due to England’s historical ties to the Falklands war. His dream was suddenly dashed.
“There are numerous political factors at play,” Meier said with a sigh. He empathized with Taylor’s disappointment. At France 1998, he believed the final was his. He had performed admirably but was ultimately passed over in favor of a Moroccan referee. “I felt anger because I had no explanation,” he revealed.
Mastering the skill of not dwelling on potential appointments is one of the most challenging yet vital aspects of being a referee, according to Cann. He avoided looking at upcoming matches to prevent thoughts about whether his officiating team was suitable. It wasn’t until after the 2010 final that he traced their path back. He reflected on the Fabiano decision, stating, “Had I made the wrong call, we would have been on the next flight home.”
On July 10, 2010, Cann walked onto the field at Soccer City in Johannesburg. The World Cup trophy gleamed under the stadium lights on a pedestal. “For a brief moment, I allowed myself to be distracted by the camera flashes reflecting off the shiniest piece of gold I’d ever seen,” he recalled. It’s a moment he cherishes. “The 2010 World Cup was the most incredible six weeks of my life.”
Yet reaching the final doesn’t signify the end of the experience. For those who make it to the tournament’s conclusion, a fourth phase awaits. Nielsen shared that his fondest memories were not from the matches themselves, but rather the days following the 2002 World Cup semi-final in South Korea, knowing he had no more games to officiate. “We spent every evening with Mr. Johnnie Walker,” he reminisced.
In 2023, Nesbitt officiated the Women’s World Cup final. Following the match, she expressed the immense relief she felt: “It’s as if you’re walking around with a huge smile on your face, yet you’re utterly exhausted.” As that fatigue subsides, the selection process for the next World Cup begins anew.
William Ralston’s book, The Impossible Job: The Truly Unbelievable World of Football Referees, will be published by Viking on August 27, priced at £22.
