Referee Chief Raymond van Meenen

15 June 2025

“We serve football!”

A very familiar face at the Marveld Tournament is Raymond van Meenen.
“I’ve been coming here since 1994 in various roles. At 19, I came here as the team leader of Feyenoord C1, from 2002 to 2014 as a referee at this tournament, and later as the manager of the Feyenoord Academy.” These days, his whole family joins as well, partly to relax.
“It may sound like a cliché, but what’s been built here over the years is truly top-notch! We really feel at home here.”

Then, about his new job:
“For the past 10 months, I’ve been the head of referees—that’s the simplest way to put it. This new role is a real challenge for me because it brings everything together. For example, I’m not only responsible for match appointments, but also for the development of future referees, maintaining contacts with UEFA and FIFA, communicating with clubs and the media—all of that, of course, with a whole team of colleagues.

My role is also to ensure that our people and their colleagues on the field can perform and do their jobs. We serve football! Referees are also athletes, so I tell them: don’t focus on the performance itself, but on making the right decisions.”

About the VAR (Video Assistant Referee), he says:
“The VAR is an excellent safety net. The focus should always be on the people on the field, because the referee makes the decision. And the VAR is a backup for that, because everyone should officiate based on what they see. The VAR is also cautious in its approach. Their job is to assist within 20 to 25 seconds—if that’s not possible, then it’s unclear, and the VAR stays out of it. This approach is generally well accepted.”

On the future, Raymond van Meenen says:
“I have a few key priorities that I consider important. One of them is talent development—we have coaching aimed at the future and are developing a program for that. I also advocate for stronger connections with football—closer cooperation with clubs and the people in technical management, so we can better align with each other.

And a third priority is international coordination with other heads of referees and with UEFA and FIFA.”

Once again, connection and collaboration seem to be a foundation for the future.