First Calgary man appointed match official for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

A Calgary referee has been selected to become a match official at the ultimate soccer tournament of anyone's career: the 2022 FIFA World Cup, taking place in Qatar this November.

Drew Fischer will be the only Canadian match official at the upcoming global championship, and he's the only Albertan ever to have been called up.

"It's an awfully long way from doing local park games in Calgary," said Fischer.

He's been appointed as one of the video assistant referees, which requires reviewing video playback to ensure accuracy for calls made by referees on the field.

Fischer said it's the call of a lifetime.

"There's going to be billions of people watching these games. It's hard to add more pressure than that," he said.

READY FOR THE CALL

With experience in numerous officiating roles, Fischer said video analysis and refereeing on-field are similar roles but with unique pressures.

"We're not trying to fix every little thing that happens, we are trying to make sure that scandalous decisions don't happen," he said.

Growing up playing soccer, Fischer started reffing games as a young teen around the Calgary area, eventually refereeing more matches at higher levels.

For the past eight years, he's officiated international tournaments in Europe, South America and Asia, making calls on the pitch for superstars in the sport.

Fischer said his "side hustle" is just as occupying as a full-time job as he jet sets around the globe for matches, as his day job as a physicist and environmental consultant in the energy sector offers unique flexibility.

Fischer in front of the Calgary United Soccer Association clubhouse and pitch at Broadview Park in Calgary.

 'DONE THE HARD YARDS'

His colleagues said it's a unique high achievement for a Canadian match official to referee professional matches for MLS (Major League Soccer) or Concacaf, while only a handful of Canadian match officials have ever worked during previous FIFA World Cup tournaments.

Officials with Calgary District Soccer Referee Association (CDSRA) said Fischer's success is a testament to his dedication to the job.

"The fitness levels and the demands on (referees') time are very large and it takes dedication and practise, very similar to playing in terms of years and development," said Richard Sansregret.

Fischer also refereed Cavalry FC's first match at the launch of the Canadian Premier League, an ambition borne out of hometown pride.

"As an adopted Calgarian (myself) its great to see a Calgarian presented on the world stage," Tommy Wheeldon Jr. head coach and general manager of the Cavalry F.C.

He added, "it's great to watch his journey literally go from the grassroots now onto the world's biggest stage and he's fully deserving of it because he's done the hard yards."

As Canada's men's soccer team has also qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 36 years, officials say Canada is seeing growth in the sport both on and off the field.

"We're changing that now. We are now competing with the world's best and its terrific to see and incredible to be a part of that snowball effect. We're only going to get bigger and better."

Fischer said he'll keep his cool by keeping his eye on the ball.

"You have a tonne of pressure on you and it has to be pressure that on some level you enjoy, or you'd never do it," he said.

The FIFA World Cup in Qatar begins Nov. 21.

Team Canada's first match against Belgium is scheduled for Nov. 23.