Iraq Employs Arab Referees to Boost League Marketing and Ease Pressure

Hussein Turki, Assistant Director of the Referees Department at the Iraqi Football Association, confirmed that the recruitment of Arab referees in the Iraqi Stars League is part of a plan aimed at marketing the competition and exchanging expertise among referees, as well as easing the pressures faced by local referees in high-profile matches. Turki explained that marketing the professional league is not limited to attracting professional players and launching promotional campaigns, but also includes bringing in international referees from various countries to expand the league's following in their home nations, citing referees from Egypt, Kuwait, and Jordan. He added that the Iraqi Football Association enhances cooperation with other federations through referee exchanges, having brought in Jordanian referees to officiate matches in the Iraqi league, while Iraqi referees have been sent to manage matches in Jordan. He pointed out the participation of four Iraqi referees in a women's tournament held in Amman, including two main referees and two assistants. Turki emphasized that the use of international referees aims to manage high-pressure matches that attract significant attention from fans, media, and social media platforms, stressing that this does not indicate any deficiency in the local refereeing level, as Iraqi referees possess the competence to manage matches effectively. He noted that the selection of referees from abroad is coordinated with the Iraqi Football Association after reviewing the lists, classifications, and levels of referees in the concerned countries to choose the best candidates, ensuring high-quality refereeing teams in the league.