Palmerston North’s Matt Conger and Nick Waldron of Auckland join the experienced Peter O’Leary on the international referees list, while Nadia Browning is a new addition to the women’s assistant referee list.
Conger and Waldron graduate from ASB Premiership duty and will now be considered for international fixtures, although both have been regularly appointed on the OFC circuit for the past few seasons. Waldron was previously on the assistant referee list in 2007 before focusing on refereeing.
O’Leary has been on the international list since 2003, racking up 11 FIFA events during this time, and is one of 52 referees vying for a place on the list of officials for the FIFA World Cup™ in Brazil next year.
Chris Kerr and Jamie Cross are the only changes from the referee list for 2012, with the former unavailable in 2013 and Cross retiring from international matches at the end of last year.
Long-serving assistant referee Brent Best has also retired to focus on his development as a referee assessor. Best attended six FIFA events in his eight-year international career including the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa.
Hamilton-based Browning’s elevation means New Zealand can now field an all-women’s trio at international level as Browning joins fellow assistant Jacqui Stephenson and referee Anna-Marie Keighley.
Her appointment is timely given the next cycle of age group women’s world cups are due next year, leading into the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada in 2015.
Global tournaments in the 2013 calendar include the FIFA U-17 and U-20 World Cups, FIFA Club World Cup, FIFA Confederations Cup and FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers.
Meanwhile opportunities within the Oceania region include the OFC age group tournaments and the revamped OFC Champions League.
New Zealand Football 2013 International Referees List
Referee – Men (year appointed)
Matt CONGER (2013)
Peter O’LEARY (2003)
Nick WALDRON (2013)
Referee – Women
Anna-Marie KEIGHLEY (2010)
Assistant Referee – Men
Jan Hendrik HINTZ (2008)
Glen LOCHRIE (2008)
Simon LOUNT (2012)
Mark RULE (2008)
Nick VAN DER SALM (2011)
Assistant Referee – Women
Nadia BROWNING (2013)
Jacqui STEPHENSON (2007)
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football.
For more on New Zealand Football visit www.nzfootball.co.nz

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