FIFA changes 3 referees preparing for World Cup

FIFA changes 3 referees preparing for World Cup

Published Mar. 26, 2013 2:13 p.m. ET

FIFA has changed three referees from South America on its global list of 52 invited to prepare for the 2014 World Cup.

FIFA updated its list on Tuesday, following the original choices announced last year by host country Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.

The new referees are: Sandro Ricci, Diego Abal and Martin Vazquez. They replace Nestor Pitana of Argentina, Brazil's Wilson Seneme and Uruguay's Roberto Silvera.

No reasons were given for the changes.

ADVERTISEMENT

FIFA retained Tunisian Slim Jdidi, who the African confederation suspended after he handled the Burkina Faso-Ghana semifinal at the African Cup of Nations.

The referees, plus two assistants each, will attend four-day training sessions in April in Morocco, Paraguay, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates or the United States.

FIFA typically takes 30 referees to the World Cup.

share