New: 20 Stories about Referees, the Guardians of the Game

The FIFA World Football Museum presents a new selection of stories on the topic of refereeing. Twenty intimate showcases explore a selection of interesting facts about the duties of match officials and notable moments from refereeing history. The blast of a whistle is a familiar sound in football, bringing to mind an individual who has the most critical role on the pitch – the Referee. They are the guardians of the Laws of the Game, keeping time, ensuring that matches are played according to the Laws, sanctioning those who break the Laws, and maintaining the official record of match events. The FIFA World Football Museum expands the subject of refereeing in the permanent exhibition with a new selection of objects, archive documents and FIFA footage. These items illustrate 20 stories about refereeing, providing a glimpse into the rich history of match officials.

Major milestones and memorable moments Visitors can explore topics including a selection of major refereeing milestones, technological changes that had a big impact, and memorable moments that highlight the referee’s duty to uphold the Laws of the Game. All 20 stories are waiting to be discovered as part of a visit to the museum. All that is required is a permanent exhibition ticket and a little curiosity. We are looking forward to welcoming you! For those who cannot come in person, please check out our digital channels. We regularly add new blog content to bring our exhibition topics and stories from our collection to our digital visitors. Head over to our story about how in 1991 the future of women’s refereeing ended up in the hands of Brazilian Cláudia Vasconcelos Guedes.