UEFA establishes annual awards for best male and female referees

The UEFA Executive Committee, meeting in Brussels during the Nations League draw, has announced the creation of new annual awards for the best male and female referees in Europe. This initiative aims to highlight the importance of match officials within European football. Each calendar year, the UEFA Referees Committee will nominate five male and five female candidates based on match performance, decision-making, and professional conduct. The final winners will be selected through a voting process involving all 55 national football associations. Each association's refereeing committee will cast one vote for each category. Roberto Rosetti, the head of UEFA refereeing, stated that the awards reflect a commitment to developing elite officials and maintaining game integrity. The awards are intended to recognize referees as ambassadors of the game who promote fair play and respect. This decision marks a significant change in how individual officiating excellence is acknowledged at the continental level.