DOHA: Qatar’s elite referees are stepping up their physical preparations for the 2026-27 football season with the Qatar Football Association’s (QFA) Refereeing Department holding an intensive training camp.
Paraguayan Silvio Auzmár, a FIFA fitness official, is overseeing the physical training programme at the camp, which is designed to improve the referees’ fitness and ensure they are ready for the demands of domestic and international competition.
Auzmár’s involvement reflects the QFA’s efforts to provide its match officials with specialised international expertise as part of their preparations for the new campaign.
The programme focuses on developing the physical attributes required by modern referees, including speed, endurance and the ability to maintain high performance levels throughout matches.
Physical conditioning has become increasingly important in elite refereeing, with officials required to keep pace with play, remain close to incidents and make accurate decisions under pressure.
The QFA said the participation of an international fitness specialist would provide its referees with additional expertise and help align their preparation with the demands of the modern game.
The camp forms part of the wider preparations by Qatar’s Refereeing Department ahead of the start of the new season, with technical, practical and physical sessions designed to ensure officials are ready for the increased demands of competitive football.
The initiative also underlines the QFA’s focus on developing referees through a combination of domestic programmes and international expertise as Qatar prepares for another busy football season.
