The UEFA elite referee category is the highest classification for football referees appointed by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), typically including some of the most experienced football referees in the globe.
Referees in this category are eligible to officiate the most important matches in UEFA club and international competitions, including the UEFA Champions League and UEFA European Championship.
UEFA operates a hierarchical referee classification system designed to assess officials based on performance, experience, physical fitness, and consistency. This elite category represents the top tier of this system and consists of a limited number of highly experienced football referees from UEFA member associations who have demonstrated sustained excellence at both domestic and international level.
Referees in the elite category are normally appointed to officiate:
Match appointments are made by the UEFA Referees Committee following assessments by referee observers and performance analysis.
Promotion to the UEFA elite referee category is based on several factors, including:
Referees are reviewed annually and may be promoted to or removed from the elite category depending on performance assessments.