Thirty-Five U.S. Soccer Match Officials Named To 2023 FIFA Panel

CHICAGO (Jan. 4, 2023) – In conjunction with the U.S. Soccer Referee Program, the U.S. Soccer Referee Committee and FIFA have appointed 35 U.S. Soccer match officials to the 2023 FIFA Panel.

The 13 referees, 18 assistant referees, 10 video match officials and one futsal referee have the distinction and opportunity to represent the United States at the highest international levels in 2023, including FIFA Men’s, Women’s and Youth World Cups.

2023 FIFA PANEL – U.S. SOCCER REFEREES

REFEREES

Alex Billeter

Danielle Chesky

Joseph Dickerson

Ismail Elfath

Katja Koroleva

Samantha Martinez

Alyssa Nichols

Tori Penso

Victor Rivas

Nima Saghafi

Natalie Simon

Rubiel Vazquez

Armando Villarreal

 

ASSISTANT REFEREES

Kyle Atkins

Cameron Blanchard

Logan Brown

Jose Da Silva

Jennifer Garner

Jeremy Kieso

Felisha Mariscal

Brooke Mayo

Alicia Messer

Meghan Mullen

Kathryn Nesbitt

Corey Parker

Cory Richardson

Corey Rockwell

Kali Smith

Tiffini Turpin

Luis Uranga

 

VIDEO MATCH OFFICIALS

Kyle Atkins

Allen Chapman

Ismail Elfath

Timothy Ford

Edvin Jurisevic

Katja Koroleva

Felisha Mariscal

Kathryn Nesbitt

Chris Penso

Armando Villarreal

 

FUTSAL REFEREE

Joshua Wilkens

Referees Alex Billeter, Joseph Dickerson, Samantha Martinez, Alyssa Nichols and Victor Rivas as well as assistant referees Kali Smith and Tiffini Turpin have all been selected to the FIFA Panel for the first time. The 18 female match officials are the most American women ever selected.

Six match officials have been selected to represent the United States at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand: referees Katja Koroleva and Tori Penso, assistant referees Felisha Mariscal, Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt plus video match official Armando Villarreal. Nesbitt and Villarreal also served as match officials at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar alongside returning FIFA referee Ismail Elfath and assistant referees Kyle Atkins and Corey Parker. 

This year also marks the retirement of three long-time U.S. Soccer match officials from the FIFA Panel: referee Jair Marrufo and assistant referees Frank Anderson and Ian Anderson.