September 7: Officials in UEFA club competitions will wear branded sleeve patches after STRAUSS became the European body’s first referee sponsor.
The three-year deal with the German workwear brand aims to support and develop refereeing across European football. The STRAUSS logo will appear on the referee’s match and training kit for all competitions involving UEFA-appointed officials, starting this week with the first matchday of the Champions League. The name will also appear on VAR monitors and in UEFA’s video operations room in Nyon.
STRAUSS will provide a development fund for match referee education, training and progression, as well as grassroots refereeing schemes, and will support UEFA’s recruitment campaign, including the Be a Referee! campaign
UEFA’s director of refereeing, Roberto Rosetti, said: “Refereeing requires dedication, experience, resilience and a constant commitment to improvement”, adding that STRAUSS’ support would “help strengthen referee development pathways, support grassroots initiatives and provide fans with a better view”.
CEO and owner of STRAUSS, Henning Strauss, drew a parallel between officials and his own trade. “Referees are in the spotlight at the moment – they are more visible than ever. Real leadership is shown when things get loud,” he said. “Whether in a stadium, on a construction site or in a workshop, this applies to all those who master their craft.”
Contact the writer of this story, Nick Webster, at (email protected)