The new FIFA Club World Cup will take place for the first time this summer, and the world governing body has now announced the referees. Four of them are German.
The FIFA Club World Cup will take place in eleven cities in the USA from June 14 to July 13, 2025. It goes without saying that referees from all over the world will also be traveling to the tournament premiere: “A total of 117 match officials, including 35 referees, 58 assistant referees and 24 video match officials, from 41 FIFA member associations will lead the matches,” FIFA announced in an official statement.
Zwayer, Dietz, Kempter and Dankert are among them
Felix Zwayer will be the referee from the German Football Association, with Christian Dietz and Robert Kempter as assistants. Bastian Dankert will be the video referee.
“As with every new competition, the referees deployed have the privilege of being there at the premiere. I am convinced that all the match officials are excited,” said Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the FIFA Referees’ Commission.
The performances at the last FIFA tournaments were at a very high level, so the bar is set accordingly. “The higher it is, the harder it is to maintain the level. We are working very hard to ensure that the referee team makes a significant contribution to the success of this spectacular tournament.”
New rules on time-wasting
Zwayer and Co. will face a number of new challenges. FIFA is applying the new rules against time wasting by goalkeepers: if a keeper holds the ball for more than eight seconds, the opposing team will be awarded a corner. Previously, the rules stipulated an indirect free kick if goalkeepers held the ball in their hands for more than six seconds – but this rule was hardly ever strictly enforced.
Another novelty: the referees will be equipped with body cams throughout the tournament on a trial basis. The live images from these cameras will be made available on the streaming service DAZN – the official broadcaster of the Club World Cup.
