Abdel Fattah vows strict standards and accountability for referees in new Egyptian league season

New referees’ chief Essam Abdel Fattah says only the best-performing officials will take charge of matches in the 2026-27 Egyptian league season and has warned that any referee who makes mistakes “will be held accountable”.

Abdel Fattah, who has returned for a third spell as head of the Referees Committee at the Egyptian Football Association (EFA), has replaced Colombian official Oscar Ruiz in the role.

Speaking to the EFA’s official website, Abdel Fattah underlined that referee appointments will be driven by clear, technical criteria rather than reputation or past status.

“اختيار اطقم التحكيم سيكون وفق معايير فنية وبدنية دقيقة، بما يضمن الدفع بالافضل فقط لادارة مباريات الدوري,” he said, stressing that only those deemed fully prepared will be assigned to league fixtures.

He explained that referees will be judged on four main pillars: “لجنة الحكام ستعتمد في تقييم الحكام على الاداء الفنى، واللياقة البدنية، والثقافة التحكيمية، الى جانب تقارير الاداء في الموسم الماضي، لاختيار العناصر الاكثر جاهزية لادارة مباريات الموسم الجديد”.

Fitness tests mark first official appearance

Abdel Fattah’s comments came as he attended FIFA-standard fitness tests for match officials at Al Nasr Club, his first official engagement since taking over the committee.

The “Cooper” physical tests were held for international referees, Premier League and professional referees, and assistant referees, ahead of the 2026-2027 season.

A total of 44 referees took part in the fitness programme, with 36 passing and eight failing to meet the required standard. Among 72 assistant referees who were tested, 52 were successful while 20 did not pass.

The tests were organised in line with regulations set by FIFA and form part of a broader plan drawn up by the EFA and the main Referees Committee to ensure officials are physically and technically ready for the new campaign, and to raise overall refereeing standards.

Law changes, discipline and a ‘surprise’ for referees

Abdel Fattah confirmed that upcoming referee camps will focus heavily on the latest amendments to the Laws of the Game, alongside coordination with the Competitions Committee over several organisational changes before the season begins.

“معسكرات الحكام ستتضمن شرح احدث التعديلات على قانون اللعبة، الى جانب التنسيق مع لجنة المسابقات بشان عدد من التعديلات التنظيمية، بما يسهم في توحيد الروية قبل انطلاق المنافسات,” he said, emphasising the need for a unified approach across competitions.

He also underlined that strict discipline will be central to his tenure. “الانضباط سيكون الركيزة الاساسية لنجاح المنظومة,” he insisted, adding that the EFA, under president engineer Hany Abou-Rida, is preparing what he described as a major “surprise” for referees.

Abdel Fattah said this announcement will be made during the upcoming training camps and will come as part of the federation’s wider plan to develop refereeing in Egypt. No further details were disclosed about the nature of the initiative.

Wider pool of referees and public transparency

The new head of referees signalled that one of his main aims is to broaden the pool of officials trusted to take charge of top-flight matches, reducing the repeated appointment of the same names.

“سنعمل على توسيع قاعدة الحكام الجاهزين لتجنب تكرار اسناد المباريات للحكام انفسهم،” he said, underlining that fairness in the appointment and performance of match officials across all clubs would be a guiding principle.

On the question of accountability, Abdel Fattah was explicit that referees will face consequences if their performances fall below expectations.

“Mبدا الثواب والعقاب؟ اي حكم يخطي سيحاسب، وسيكون ذلك واضحا للجميع، كما سنعمل على تحليل الحالات التحكيمية بشكل علمي واعلانها للراي العام بصورة دورية، دعما لمبدا الشفافية وتطوير الاداء التحكيمى,” he explained.

That approach, he believes, will both reinforce transparency and support efforts to improve refereeing performance through regular, publicly communicated analysis of key incidents.

Abdel Fattah’s latest appointment marks the third time he has been asked to lead the Referees Committee, as the EFA attempts to strengthen confidence in domestic officiating ahead of the 2026-27 season.