"This isn't some small-town tournament": German referee at the World Cup final

A day in the life of World Cup referees:

“We were based in Irving, near Dallas. And the referees were stationed in Miami. They always returned there after every game they officiated. The group stage flew by incredibly fast because there were just so many games. So we had a game every two or, at the latest, three days.

And even when we weren’t officiating a game ourselves, we had to analyze all the other matches. That’s why we had a meeting every morning at 10:00 or 10:30 a.m. We also trained. We had a very large facility with our own training court, tennis courts, and an air-conditioned gym. At times, it was 40 to 45 degrees hot in Dallas. But we were able to get plenty of exercise every day.

Once the knockout stage begins and the number of matches decreases, things can get a little tough. But we had a great community that did a lot together—playing tennis, playing pickleball, and holding table tennis tournaments. We were in very good hands there. Our advantage was that the Club World Cup had already taken place last year. And 80 to 85 percent of the officiating team consisted of people who already knew each other well from 2025.”

Preparing for a World Cup final:

“Even for referees, there are match analysts who provide us with extensive data before and during a World Cup. This covers tactical nuances, key players, and playing systems. What happens if someone is sent off? How do players behave during corner kicks or free kicks? All of this is discussed, which is why you feel very well prepared for a final like this.

The challenge is really not to think about it every morning, every hour, and every minute after being assigned the match: This is a World Cup final! Messi is playing against Rodri. And 200 million people worldwide are watching it on TV. Our boss simply told us: It’s a red team playing against a blue-and-white one. And that makes a lot of things easier. You can better manage your own emotions and tension. And I think that also helped us execute well in this final.

There were a lot of so-called “silent checks,” where we reviewed scenes in the background without interrupting the game. Tackles that we double-checked for possible fouls. Or Spain’s goal, which was rightly disallowed. For example, this allowed us to support the referee in confirming that he was correct and that he should continue to be so bold and consistent. Because as an outsider, you can’t even imagine the pressure a referee is under during a game like this. After all, the World Cup title is at stake—this isn’t some village tournament.”

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