FIFA Lists 2027
A not entirely unimportant topic is the compilation of the FIFA lists for 2027.
At any rate, something sensible emerged – even without Kassai: There are two newcomers on the referee list, the two Viennese Alain Sadikovski and Isa Simsek. They replace Walter Altmann, who has recently received little consideration from UEFA, and Jakob Semler.
Jakob Semler? Something was up there.
As LAOLA1 reported almost two years ago, the Styrian was promoted to the FIFA list without fulfilling the necessary qualifications. Kassai was of course significantly involved, as was the then Administrative Head of the Referee Department, Ali Hofmann, who was still endowed with more powers (>>> see LAOLA1 exclusive report from December 2024).
It is a poor reflection that Semler – for whatever reasons – has to be replaced after only two years on the FIFA list.
"Power to the Actives"
LAOLA1 has already reported that Andreas Rothmann, responsible for women's refereeing, an active referee from the Regionalliga Nord, sits on the Referee Commission.
The success with which he last officiated the Regionalliga Nord match between SV Bad Schallerbach and SV Grödig is unknown to us. Endowed with full voting rights, he likely also cast his vote on the composition of the FIFA lists for 2027. It is remarkable that an active Regionalliga referee can be part of this body with full seat and voting rights.
Assuming that this actually untenable situation will be rectified, Rothmann has now also gained company: Markus Hameter, a long-serving league referee, now also sits on the commission and simultaneously officiates in the Regionalliga Ost, most recently Traiskirchen against FC Marchfeld.
This means that the person responsible for training top referees must allow himself to be told by an observer (most recently, this honor fell to Berthold Neunteufel from the NÖFV) what he did wrong…
Further Training Seminar during the International Break
All these topics will certainly not be discussed at the upcoming seminar at the beginning of October, but rather the new stadium announcements and video wall images in the ADMIRAL Bundesliga from the last matchday before the break.
Why the innovation was only implemented in three matches is not further explained. Nor is it explained why the broadcast of the matches uses significantly fewer cameras than last year, thereby noticeably hindering the work of the Video Assistant Referees.
The example of the on-field review in the Rapid vs. WSG Tirol match underscores the enormous pressure that can be exerted on the referee when stadium visitors believe they see something and the referee then does not follow their vocal opinion. Be that as it may: Referee Harald Lechner, at least, refused to be cowed by the agitated Rapid family in the stadium.
Dud or Achievement?
It is to be feared that similar decisions against the home team in top matches could indeed have consequences.
One shudders to think if the same scene regarding a handball were to occur shortly before full-time with the score at 0-0 and Lechner proceeding in the same manner.
It remains to be seen whether the celebrated transparency (see ÖFB report on VAR innovation) could particularly backfire on away teams.
There are so many shortcomings in the VAR area that this unnecessarily opened can of worms wouldn't have been necessary in the first place.
Waiting for VAR: Matchday 6 Packed a Punch
Some examples that add grist to the critics' mill.
Endlessly long offside checks, as in Matchday 1 and 4, each in Lustenau. After four minutes, the line loses credibility as the situation is apparently not clear.
In Ried vs. Salzburg (Referee Schnur, 4th Official Ciochirca), the yellow card shown to the Ried coach is incorrect. He criticises the referee clearly outside the technical area and also enters the field of play.
According to Law 12, a red card should have been shown here. A failure also on the part of the 4th Official Ciochirca, who should have drawn the referee's attention to the location of the offense. Afterwards – apparently to protect the two officials – this was even confirmed as correct by Kassai, although there were numerous comparable situations where the Hungarian always demanded a red card.
Further Scenes
WAC vs. Rapid (Referee Sadikovski, VAR Kijas): Piesinger (WAC) commits an intentional handball that goes unpunished. However, an obvious goal-scoring opportunity is thus prevented. While the offense is difficult for the referee to see, in this case, the VAR must recommend an OFR.
Austria Wien vs. Lustenau (Referee Ciochirca, VAR Ebner): Austria captain Fischer is hit in the stomach by a kick from a Lustenau defender who clearly does not play the ball. Neither the referee nor the VAR deems the action a penalty. Clearly incorrect decision.
After a header, an FAK attacker ends up lying on the goal line – to the goalkeeper's left from Lustenau's perspective. The ensuing shot cannot be saved by the goalie, resulting in Vienna's 1-1 equaliser. It is undeniably an offside position and a matter of interpretation whether the Austrian player "influenced the opponent".
Due to the goalkeeper's proximity to the player, it can be assumed that any goalie would view the action as obstruction.
Regardless of this undoubtedly annoying equalizer for Lustenau, Petru Ciochirca will be deployed as VAR for the Vorarlberg derby on the following weekend (!). Does someone want to "add fuel to the fire"?
Long break also in Rapid vs. Sturm Graz (Referee Ebner, VAR Lechner) in Matchday 5.
A pull on the shoulder outside the penalty area is followed by slight "contact" with the leg inside the penalty area (by no means punishable compared to the referee's foul assessment line in the rest of the game), the attacker falls and a penalty is awarded.
Only an almost four-minute VAR review confirms the decision. The referee team has no audio connection to the control center at the ÖFB Campus, so the 4th official has to be connected via mobile phone.
Appointments and Number of Referees
For whatever reason, in Austria there is a common list of referees for all matches of the two Bundesligas.
Nevertheless, not all referees are deployed in the ADMIRAL Bundesliga. Currently, 20 referees are listed, and presumably, some debutants will be added.
The high number of officials is unparalleled in international leagues. Instead of challenging referees through frequent assignments, the ÖFB is experimenting, and some refs are only used sporadically.
These referees would be easy to replace, or apparently, in Kassai's eyes, they do not possess the necessary class, otherwise he would use them more frequently. On weltfussball.at, everyone can get an idea of which referees are affected (the change in the playing year provides an even clearer picture).
Austria's referees officiate an average of only 9.6 matches per season in the Bundesliga.
In Germany, referees average almost 14 matches per season, in Croatia it's an average of 13.8 matches, and in Switzerland, at least 12.8 assignments.
No Austrian at the FIFA U-17 World Cup
On September 22, the FIFA Referees Committee officially announced the referees for the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup 2026.
A total of 27 referee trios from all six confederations will officiate the matches of the 48 participating nations in Qatar (November 19 to December 13). Vice-World Champion Austria will not be participating in 2026.
The 7 UEFA teams - Spain sends a female trio - are:
Willy Delajod – Erwan Finjean, Alexis Auger (all France)
Radoslav Gidzhenov – Petar Mitrev, Todor Vukov (Bulgaria)
Patrik Kolaric – Luka Pajic, Ivan Starcevic (Croatia)
Elchin Masiyev – Elshad Abdullayev, Parvin Talibov (Azerbaijan)
Milos Milanovic – Milan Pasajlic, Nikola Djorovic (Serbia)
Olatz Rivera Olmedo – Eliana Fernandez, Iragartze Fernandez (Spain)
Damian Sylwestrzak – Adam Karasewicz, Bartosz Heinig (Poland)
The list provides a first look at plausible contenders for participation in the FIFA World Cup 2030.
Indeed, these are likely names – especially since they are already in UEFA's focus – who could potentially be in the running given the long four-year period.
