AFC referee makes history in Lithuania

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

AFC referee makes history in Lithuania

Kaunas: The highly experienced Nurdin Bukuev of Kyrgyz Republic will join the history books by becoming the first futsal match official from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to be appointed as referee in the FIFA Futsal World Cup Lithuania 2021 Final between Argentina and Portugal on Sunday. 

The 40-year-old Bukuev, who previously officiated in the Semi-final of the FIFA Futsal World Cup in 2016, is the most experienced match official on the roster in Lithuania after making his fourth appearance at the showpiece. 
 
He will be joined by IR Iran’s Nazemideylami Gelareh, the first women referee from the AFC to be appointed at a FIFA Futsal World Cup, who will be the timekeeper in the final while Japan’s Kozaki Tomohiro has been selected as the third referee for the third-place match between Brazil and Kazakhstan. 
 
This is the second time an AFC match official has been appointed in a FIFA competition final in 2021 following Suhaimi Mat Hassan’s appointment at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Russia 2021 Final.  
 
Meanwhile Australia’s Chris Beath alongside assistant referees Anton Shchetinin and George Lakrindis were also selected to officiate in the gold medal match at the Tokyo Olympics Men’s Football in August.