
At international level, FIFA has four official languages: English, Spanish, French and German. Again, international referees must be able to speak good English. Of course, the old cliche says football is a universal language, and this is true in more ways than one.
What language do FIFA referees speak?
FIFA referees are expected to be able to speak English. So if the referee who doesn't speak the language of a team -many international referees speak multiple languages- he will be talking English to them. Also notice that players know key words in English (if already not the same in their own language) such as 'sorry', foul, offside, goal ...
How many referees are there in the FIFA World Cup?
For this year's World Cup, FIFA started out in September 2011 with 52 referees. Over the next two years, it whittled that down to 25 referees and eight alternates. There are many things that were tested during this long process.
What language do they speak at the World Cup?
So it’s fairly safe to conclude that most of the conversations taking place between players and refs at the World Cup are in English. Apologies if you were expecting something more exotic like Portuguese or Swahili, but that’s our World Cup Mystery Solved.
Do referees talk to players during a match?
Technically speaking, referees really do not need to talk to players with the exception of very short instructions (get up, move backwards…). The only discussion in the field should be with the captain, if that. Any player needing to engage in arguments with the referee may see his red card while the referee does not utter a syllable.

Do soccer referees have to speak multiple languages?
Soccer referees for FIFA and UEFA, Europe's soccer federation, may speak several languages, but English is generally the default. The same is increasingly true at the Olympics, where French, once the language used by officials, has fallen by the wayside as English has been more widely adopted.
What is the official language in football?
English and French are the official languages of FIFA. During matches they basically speak English. Every referee has the obligation to speak English and one more language, usually their native language, but some of them speak three languages.
What language do the refs use in the Olympics?
Rule 23 of the IOC Olympic Charter addresses the languages of the Olympics: The official languages are French and English. Simultaneous interpretation must be provided in those languages at all sessions; other languages may be interpreted as well.
Do European soccer referees speak multiple languages?
As a rule, referees will speak to soccer players in English and this is because it is the most common language that is spoken all over Europe. When it comes to international matches, however, there are four main languages that are spoken, English, German, French, and Spanish.
Are FIFA referees bilingual?
At international level, FIFA has four official languages: English, Spanish, French and German. Again, international referees must be able to speak good English.
What are the FIFA languages?
According to FIFA statutes, the official languages currently are English, Spanish, French and German.
Do all referees speak English?
3 Answers. Show activity on this post. FIFA referees are expected to be able to speak English. So if the referee who doesn't speak the language of a team (many international referees speak multiple languages) he will be talking English to them.
How many languages are spoken at the Olympic Games?
There are more than 200 nations represented and over 180 languages spoken at the Games, not including those spoken and understood by the additional thousands of viewers and visitors at this summer's Olympics. There is an enormous need for language skills among the 70,000 volunteers involved with the proceedings.
Do all football players speak English?
Of course, the old cliche says football is a universal language, and this is true in more ways than one. Most players, regardless of nationality, will have picked up English words such as 'goal', 'foul', 'offside' and so on, even if they don't speak the language well.
What language do PSG players speak?
The majority of PSG players understand the French language, but some are reticent to use it. For instance, Neymar, Ángel Di María and Keylor Navas never speak French, although they do understand it.
Did Beckham Learn Spanish?
Toni Kroos, Gareth Bale and David Beckham have all been criticised for not being fluent in Spanish but, if they're performing well, does it really matter? In Spain, football is played in Spanish. There is a necessity to find both your feet and tongue in La Liga.
How do international soccer players communicate?
How do soccer players communicate with each other? Soccer players communicate with each other by holding up their hand, pointing, moving a hand towards them, a shout, a whistle, a wink, or a motion of their head.