[REVISION HISTORY]

Serbia football refereeing leadership

Updated 1 time since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-07-28 09:39 UTC → 2026-08-02 10:05 UTC · added ~~removed~~

In July 2026 the Football Association of Serbia ~~announced the appointment of~~ appointed Belgian referee Frank De Bleker as head of its Refereeing Committee. The ~~initial notice~~ federation highlighted the selection of a Belgian official to lead Serbian football’s refereeing body, noting the prominence of Republika Srpska delegates within the federation. A follow‑up briefing provided De Bleker’s credentials his extensive experience – a former FIFA‑listed ~~referee~~ official (1998‑2011) who has overseen World Cup, European Championship and Champions League matches – and ~~outlined his~~ set a two‑year ~~mandate. His agenda emphasises~~ mandate focused on strengthening refereeing integrity, advancing education and professional development, and aligning VAR implementation with FIFA and UEFA standards. De Bleker, born 1 July 1966, arrived in Serbia after leading the Azerbaijan refereeing commission, where he helped two referees reach UEFA Category 1 status and increased the number of FIFA‑rated officials to four. He thanked the Azerbaijan Football Federations Association in a departure letter before taking up the Serbian role. He will be ~~supported~~ assisted by VAR expert Kristof Dirik and plans meetings with referees, club officials, ~~coaches~~ coaches, captains and media to present his vision. The appointment follows his recent work on a UEFA referee development panel and signals a continuation of his European‑wide governance experience within Serbian football.

Versions

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.