FELIX ZWAYER will be one of the trusted referees at World Cup 2026 this summer.
Here is everything you need to know about the referee who received a six-month ban for his involvement in a match-fixing scandal.
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UEFA stood by their decision to appoint Felix Zwayer to Euro 2024 semi-final England V Netherlands despite his past Credit: Getty
The match-fixing scandal is still on the minds of Felix Zwayer critics Credit: Getty
Who is Felix Zwayer?
Felix Zwayer is a German football referee, based in Berlin.
Born on May 18, 1981, he officiates for SC Charlottenburg of the Berlin Football Association.
He is a FIFA referee and is ranked as a UEFA elite category referee.
Felix began his refereeing career in 2003 and worked his way up through the ranks of German football.
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He made his Bundesliga debut in 2012 and soon become a regular fixture in their matches.
In 2005, his career took a hit when he found himself involved in a match-fixing scandal.
It was revealed that he accepted a €300 bribe from referee Robert Hoyzer, who was involved in a larger match-fixing scandal at the time in Germany.
Felix was banned from refereeing for six months by the German Football Association (DFB) as a result of his involvement.
England sensation Jude Bellingham referred to the scandal in a post-match interview and was fined £33,970 from the German FA for his comments about Felix in 2021.
Despite the scandal, Felix continued to work his way up the ranks and was selected by FIFA to be one of the video assistant referees for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
But in December 2021, he was heavily criticised for not awarding Borussia Dortmund a penalty and for sending off coach Marco Rose during a game.
After the match, the former Dortmund player Jude Bellingham, who now plays for Real Madrid, referred to Felix’s past.
Bellingham told ViaPlay after Dortmund’s 3-2 loss: “You give a referee, that has match fixed before, the biggest game in Germany, what do you expect?”
Felix took a break from refereeing after the incident, but returned in February 2022.
You give a referee, that has match fixed before, the biggest game in Germany, what do you expect?
Jude Bellingham
Referee Felix Zwayer and England player Jude Bellingham have history Credit: Getty
What big matches has Felix Zwayer officiated before?
Felix has been involved in various UEFA and FIFA competitions, including qualifiers for the World Cup and the European Championship.
He has also refereed matches in top club competitions such as the Champions League and the Europa League, with 42 and 30 matches respectively.
The German was on the whistle for Manchester United‘s all-English European final against Tottenham, in which Spurs won 1-0.
In 2018, Zwayer was selected by Fifa to be one of the video assistant referees at the 2018 World Cup – the first World Cup to use the technology.
Euro 2024 was the first international tournament that Felix was in the middle of the pitch for, where he was selected to officiate England‘s semi-final against the Netherlands.
What else has Felix Zwayer done?
Away from the pitch, Felix is a real estate manager.
He owns a company with three other partners.
Zwayer is also married and has two daughters, who were born in 2018 and 2021.
New World Cup 2026 rules
FIFA confirmed several new rules coming into play for the World Cup 2026.
They are:
Outfield players cannot go to technical areas while goalkeeper getting treatment
Five-second countdowns for goal-kicks and throw-ins
Ten-second substitutions – or else one-minute sub entry delay
One minute off field after outfield players get treatment
Three-minute hydration breaks in each half
VAR can intervene over fouls before ball in play for goals, penalties and disciplinary sanctions
VAR can correct wrongly-awarded yellow cards and corners
Red cards for covering mouth in confrontational talk
Red cards for walking off pitch in protest
