BEVERLY HILLS, February 06, (THEWILL) –
Referees have attended a high-profile FIFA World Cup seminar in Doha on Monday in preparation for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Referees from countries including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt were at the almost week-long event which will help football’s governing body decide on the final list of those who will officiate at this year’s World Cup in Russia.
The event was also attended by the 2002 World Cup final referee Pierluigi Collina, now President of the FIFA referees’ committee.
He urged the assembled referees to retain their hunger in order to be selected for Russia saying “the months between today and the day when the World Cup in Russia kicks off, this period is everything.”
The referees will practice using the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system during their stay in Doha, said Massimo Busacca, FIFA’s head of refereeing, ahead of its expected use in Russia.
When asked how many referees would be selected for the 2018 World Cup, Busacca said FIFA was looking for quality and not quantity.
