Taken from: Faces, May/June 2014
It's the semifinal game of the World Cup and the game is tied. Both teams want a spot in the finals. The players are
running at full speed and the fans are screaming for a goal. The ball is kicked downfield. As the players challenge
each other for the ball, a player is tripped! The referee blows the whistle and stops the game. Will a penalty kick be
awarded? The pressure is on the referee to make the right call. Will the referee do it?
Soccer teams coming to the World Cup train hard to be the best in the world. So do the referees. FIFA, the
International Federation of Football Association, translated from French, which trains and licenses the soccer
referees, is a crucial part of the World Cup Tournament.