Experienced Referees from 18 Countries Have Been Selected to Officiate the Historic Event
CHICAGO (May 25, 2016) – The Copa America Centenario Local Organizing Committee has announced the referee designations for the summer tournament, featuring experienced match officials from 18 countries in the Americas.
The Copa America Centenario, a once-in-a-lifetime soccer event, which honors 100 years of the Copa America tournament, will feature some of the world's best teams and players competing from June 3-26, in 10 cities across the United States.
The 58 participating referees were selected from within CONCACAF and CONMEBOL. The team includes 18 referees, 34 assistant referees, and six reserve officials. Referees participating in Copa America Centenario have officiated in tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup, Copa America, Copa Libertadores and first division leagues across the hemisphere.
The selection process was overseen by each confederation’s respective referee committees. As a prerequisite to officiate this tournament, each referee was required to pass the FIFA fitness test. From May 25 to May 31, the referees will report to the Copa America Centenario Referee Seminar in Chicago, where the officials will attend both technical trainings and theoretical sessions prior to the start of the competition. Game assignments will be announced prior to each match.
“The magnitude of Copa America Centenario requires the highest caliber referees from within the continent,” said Director of Refereeing Brian Hall. “It is a unique honor for officials from both confederations to officiate this tournament in unison, while ensuring this once-in-a-lifetime competition offers fans and players world-class quality football. The pretournament referee seminar will be a great opportunity to prepare the referees mentally for an intense and competitive championship.”
The selected officials will be based in Chicago throughout the tournament and travel to assigned games across the United States.
Copa America Centenario USA 2016 Match Officials
(by confederation and country)
CONMEBOL Referees |
Country |
CONMEBOL Assistant Referees |
Country |
LOUSTAU Patricio |
Argentina |
BRAILOVSKY Ezequiel |
Argentina |
SCIME Ariel |
Argentina |
||
VARGAS Gery |
Bolivia |
BUSTILLOS Javier |
Bolivia |
MONTAÑA Juan |
Bolivia |
||
LOPES Héber |
Brazil |
GIL Kleber |
Brazil |
BOSCHILIA Bruno |
Brazil |
||
BASCUÑAN Julio |
Chile |
ASTROZA Carlos |
Chile |
SCHIEMANN Christian |
Chile |
||
ROLDAN Wilmar |
Colombia |
GUZMAN Alexander |
Colombia |
NAVARRO Wilmar |
Colombia |
||
ZAMBRANO Roddy |
Ecuador |
VERA Luis |
Ecuador |
ROMEO Byron |
Ecuador |
||
CACERES Enrique |
Paraguay |
CARDOZO Eduardo |
Paraguay |
SALDIVAR Milciades |
Paraguay |
||
CARRILLO Victor |
Peru |
YUPANQUI Jorge |
Peru |
CARRERA Coty |
Peru |
||
CUNHA Andres |
Uruguay |
TARAN Nicolas |
Uruguay |
TRINIDAD Richard |
Uruguay |
||
ARGOTE José |
Venezuela |
MURILLO Luis |
Venezuela |
SANCHEZ Luis |
Venezuela |
||
Reserved Referees |
Country |
Reserved Assistant Referees |
Country |
SAMPAIO Wilton |
Brazil |
ROSSI Gustavo |
Argentina |
LAMOROUX Wilson |
Colombia |
GAONA Dario |
Paraguay |
FEDORCZUK Daniel |
Uruguay |
LEON Alexander John |
Colombia |
CONCACAF Referees |
Country |
CONCACAF Assistant Referees |
Country |
MONTERO Ricardo |
Costa Rica |
JARA Octavio |
Costa Rica |
MORA Juan |
Costa Rica |
||
MARTINEZ Yadel |
Cuba |
DOPICO Hiran |
Cuba |
RAMIREZ Christian |
Honduras |
||
AGUILAR Joel |
El Salvador |
ZUMBA Juan |
El Salvador |
TORRES William |
El Salvador |
||
GARCIA Roberto |
Mexico |
CAMARGO Jose Luis |
Mexico |
MORIN Alberto |
Mexico |
||
PITTI John |
Panama |
VICTORIA Gabriel |
Panama |
MORGANTE Charles |
USA |
||
GEIGER Mark |
USA |
FLETCHER Joseph |
Canada |
MANIKOWSKI Peter |
USA |
||
MARRUFO Jair |
USA |
ROCKWELL Corey |
USA |
PARKER Corey |
USA |
||
VILLAREAL Armando |
USA |
Copa America Centenario, which includes the participation of half of the world's top 10 nations per the May FIFA Rankings, will be broadcast around the world, and on the Univision Network and FOX family of networks, as well as on Futbol de Primera Radio in the United States.
Other notable group matches include a rematch of the 2015 Copa America final between Argentina and Chile in Group D on June 6 (10 p.m. ET) and a second continental finals rematch when Jamaica and Mexico clash on June 9 (10 p.m. ET) in a replay of the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup final.
- Buy your Copa America Centenario tickets now at CA2016.com
- Copa America Centenario tournament schedule
- Follow the tournament news at the event's official Twitteraccount and Facebook page
- Download the official Copa App
The Copa America Centenario will feature some of the world's best teams and players. This historic tournament will feature the top star players from North, South and Central America, as well as the Caribbean. Lionel Messi, Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, James Rodriguez, Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey and many more are anticipated to take part in the tournament.