Canada Soccer announces two additions to FIFA List of International Referees

Canada Soccer has placed two new referees on the FIFA List of International Referees for 2021. Lyes Arfa and Pierre-Luc Lauzière have both been named by FIFA for 2021 joining 13 Canadian colleagues eligible for international appointments. The announcement comes as four Canada Soccer Referees were named as candidates for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia/New Zealand 2023™, and another was named as a Video Assistant Referee for the 2020 FIFA Club World Cup™.

“Canada Soccer is proud of the work of these exemplary Referees domestically, and as international appointees entrusted to some of the biggest international matches at the FIFA level,” said Dr. Nick Bontis, Canada Soccer President. “Congratulations to Lyes and Pierre-Luc on being named to the FIFA List and to the Canada Soccer Referee Program for their role in the development of world class referees.”

Arfa and Lauzière played key roles as members of the Canadian Premier League’s Island Games in Charlottetown, PE in 2020 along with fellow FIFA List Referees and recently announced FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia/New Zealand 2023™ candidate Myriam Marcotte. Marie-Soleil Beaudoin, Chantal Boudreau, and Stéphanie Fortin remain on the FIFA List as the other three candidates named for the next FIFA Women’s World Cup. Drew Fischer was also recently named as a Video Assistant Referee to the FIFA Club World Cup™ building on his history of success in that role at the Major League Soccer level.

With Carol Anne Chénard having retired at the completion of the 2020 season, Philippe Brière becomes the most tenured Canada Soccer Referee on the list, having first been appointed in 2010. Dave Gantar (2011), Beaudoin (2014), Boudreau (2015) Fischer (2015), and Marie-Han Gagnon-Chretien (2015) each have more than five years experience. Fischer and Gantar were both named as Referees as well as to the new category of Video Match Officials in 2021. Chris Grabas (2018) is the sole Referee appointed as a Futsal Referee.

Canada Soccer Referees on the FIFA International List of Referees

Name                                                     Province                                First Year on FIFA List
Lyes Arfa                                               Québec                                  (2021)
Micheal Barwegen                             Alberta                                  (2018)
Marie-Soleil Beaudoin                      Nova Scotia                          (2014)
Chantal Boudreau                              Saskatchewan                     (2015)
Philippe Brière                                    Québec                                  (2010)
Drew Fischer                                       Alberta                                  (Video Match Official, 2015)
Stéphanie Fortin                                 Québec                                  (2019)
Marie-Han Gagnon-Chretien          Québec                                  (2015)
Dave Gantar                                        Alberta                                  (Video Match Official, 2011)
Chris Grabas                                        Québec                                  (Futsal, 2018)
Pierre-Luc Lauzière                            Québec                                  (2021)
Myriam Marcotte                              Québec                                  (2019)
Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho                  Québec                                  (2017)
Melissa Snedden                               Ontario                                  (2018)
Chris Wattam                                      British Columbia                 (2018)