the Maurice Revello Tournament returns to France with exclusively female refereeing
The International Hope Festival features the best youth teams in the world. This year, this men’s competition will be refereed only by women.
The Maurice Revello Tournament, or Festival International Espoirs, is making a comeback. This competition reserved for national under-21 teams begins on May 29. An annual tournament that is making a comeback. Canceled for the past two years due to Covid-19, it will be played this year in the south-east of France, on the shores of the Mediterranean. The final will be played in the town of Salon-de-Provence on June 12, as during the 2019 tournament. The last edition won by Brazil of Douglas Luiz and Matheus Cunha.
This year will give rise to a world first at this tournament. Only women will be at the whistle. This is the first men’s international competition to be refereed exclusively by women. Twelve trios of female referees will officiate over the 26 matches of the tournament. Direct collaboration with FIFA. This initiative is part of the FIFA Road to Australia/New Zealand project, which aims to prepare referees for the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup.
« This very special competition will give referees a chance to referee excellent football at a very high level, where they can show off their skills in the hope of being selected for next year’s Women’s World Cup.explains Kari Seitz, head of women’s refereeing at FIFA. 36 referees from 21 different countries will be present for the occasion.
This 48th edition of the Festival International Espoirs, born in 1967, will be played from May 29 to June 12, 2022, in the South of France. With 12 titles, France is the country that dominates the Tournament. Les Bleuets have not won since 2015.
