Six Victorian match officials recognised by FIFA for 2022

Football Victoria (FV) is thrilled to announce a strong representation of Victorians are among the 28 Australian Match Officials to be appointed to FIFA’s 2022 Panel of International Referees.

The full list includes some of Australia’s leading Referees, Assistant Referees, Futsal Referees and Video Match Officials. The appointees will be eligible to officiate at FIFA sanctioned tournaments throughout 2022.

The Victorians selected are;

• Jonathan Barreiro
• Kate Jacewicz
• Joanna Charaktis
• George Lakrindis
• Laura Moya
• Shaun Evans

FV sends a heartfelt congratulations to these officials and the other elite Australian referees who have been selected.  

Football Australia Chairman and Chair of Football Australia’s Referees Committee, Chris Nikou, congratulated the referees for earning a place on the distinguished panel.

“Australian match officials have always been highly regarded within the global football landscape and it is pleasing to see that FIFA has continued to recognise this through the appointment of 28 Australians to the Panel of International Referees for 2022,” Nikou said.

Football Australia Chief Executive Officer, James Johnson further congratulated the appointees, also noting that the ongoing development of Australian match officials is central to the growth of the game in Australia.

“Refereeing remains a key focus for Football Australia, and it is pleasing to see Australian Match Officials once again recognised by FIFA,” Johnson said.

“We congratulate all the 2022 Panel or their opportunity to represent Australian football on the global stage.”

“With the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ now just 11 months away and a home Women’s World Cup™ in 2023, it is an exciting time for Australian refereeing and football more broadly,” he said.

Confirmation of 28 Australians on FIFA’s Panel of International Referees in 2022 adds to other significant developments involving elite Australian Match Officials recently, including the appointment of four Australian Match Officials for the forthcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022™, and the international retirements of two long-serving Australian Match Officials from the FIFA Panel.

Referees Casey Reibelt, Lara Lee, Kate Jacewicz, and Assistant Referee Joanna Charaktis will represent Australia in India over the coming weeks, while Matthew Cream and Renae Coghill called time on their international Refereeing careers at the end of 2021.

FULL LIST OF REFEREES BELOW

Australian Match Officials on the FIFA Panel of International Referees 2022