Published 22 May 2023 2 min read
Refereeing
English officials selected for two European finals
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Ten English match officials have been selected to take charge of two major European finals in the coming weeks.
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Referee Anthony Taylor will lead a group of officials for the UEFA Europa League final between Seville and Roma in Budapest on Wednesday 31 May.
Taylor will be supported by assistant referees Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn, fourth official Michael Oliver and a VAR team of Stuart Attwell and Chris Kavanagh. Stuart Burt will act as a reserve assistant referee.
The selection of Taylor, Beswick and Nunn is the latest major global competition they have represented both the PGMOL and the FA at following their appointments to the FIFA Club World Cup final earlier this year and the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, a tournament which Oliver and Burt also officiated at including the quarter-final between Brazil and Croatia.
The FA and PGMOL will also be represented in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final with Rebecca Welch, Natalie Aspinall and Sian Massey-Ellis MBE selected as part of the team of match officials.
The trio will act as fourth official, assistant video assistant referee and reserve assistant referee respectively for the fixture between Barcelona and Wolfsburg.
Like their aforementioned male colleagues, this recognition also continues their own selections for some of the biggest games and tournaments on the international stage, with Welch, Aspinall and Massey-Ellis also set to officiate at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this summer.
Taylor will be supported by assistant referees Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn, fourth official Michael Oliver and a VAR team of Stuart Attwell and Chris Kavanagh. Stuart Burt will act as a reserve assistant referee.
The selection of Taylor, Beswick and Nunn is the latest major global competition they have represented both the PGMOL and the FA at following their appointments to the FIFA Club World Cup final earlier this year and the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, a tournament which Oliver and Burt also officiated at including the quarter-final between Brazil and Croatia.
The FA and PGMOL will also be represented in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final with Rebecca Welch, Natalie Aspinall and Sian Massey-Ellis MBE selected as part of the team of match officials.
The trio will act as fourth official, assistant video assistant referee and reserve assistant referee respectively for the fixture between Barcelona and Wolfsburg.
Like their aforementioned male colleagues, this recognition also continues their own selections for some of the biggest games and tournaments on the international stage, with Welch, Aspinall and Massey-Ellis also set to officiate at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this summer.
Fellow Women’s Super League official Cheryl Foster will represent the Football Association of Wales and take charge of the showpiece fixture at Eindhoven’s PSV Stadium on Saturday 3 June.
Chief refereeing officer Howard Webb, who took charge of the 2010 UEFA Champions League final, said: “Anthony and his team as well as Rebecca, Sian and Natalie have all been selected for these prestigious occasions by UEFA in recognition of their consistently high-quality performances on the international stage.
“They are richly-deserved appointments as they all continue to enjoy a sustained period of success as some of the world’s best match officials – something PGMOL and the FA are extremely proud of.
“They are hugely important fixtures in the football calendar which just shows the level of trust UEFA has in our English officials.”
Taylor added: “We're naturally delighted to receive this appointment from UEFA and are very much looking forward to the occasion. We feel privileged to have been involved in some of the biggest tournaments in recent years and this season has been particularly pleasing, and we are determined to deliver the best possible performance in the final.
“Nothing is possible without the support of our families, PGMOL and the FA so we're extremely grateful for their continued backing and we are looking to do them all proud next week.”
Congratulations to everyone selected!
Chief refereeing officer Howard Webb, who took charge of the 2010 UEFA Champions League final, said: “Anthony and his team as well as Rebecca, Sian and Natalie have all been selected for these prestigious occasions by UEFA in recognition of their consistently high-quality performances on the international stage.
“They are richly-deserved appointments as they all continue to enjoy a sustained period of success as some of the world’s best match officials – something PGMOL and the FA are extremely proud of.
“They are hugely important fixtures in the football calendar which just shows the level of trust UEFA has in our English officials.”
Taylor added: “We're naturally delighted to receive this appointment from UEFA and are very much looking forward to the occasion. We feel privileged to have been involved in some of the biggest tournaments in recent years and this season has been particularly pleasing, and we are determined to deliver the best possible performance in the final.
“Nothing is possible without the support of our families, PGMOL and the FA so we're extremely grateful for their continued backing and we are looking to do them all proud next week.”
Congratulations to everyone selected!