Gehad Gerisha chosen for 2018 World Cup

CAIRO – 18 November 2017: Gehad Gerisha, Egyptian FIFA International referee, expressed his happiness after he has been selected among international referees who will rule the 2018 World Cup matches taking place in Russia next summer.

Gerisha thanked all the officials who helped him to reach to that point in his career, including Essam Seyam and Gamal El Ghandour, former Egyptian presidents of the Referees Committee, along with Ahmed El-Shenawy, Nasser Abbas, Azab Hagag, Ahmed Badawy and Hossam Taha, members of the committee.

Gerisha pointed to the important role played by Hany Abo Reda, president of the Egyptian Football Federation, who was a real supporter.

Gerisha spoke to Al-Hadaf Radio program and said, “I am very happy to be in Russia next summer. Featuring in the list of referees is coronation for all the Egyptian referees who deserve to be in the best tournaments in the world.”

There will be a preparation course of training for all the selected referees in Dubai from November 24 to November 26.

“I did not rule any game in the Egyptian League or the Egyptian Cup, as I had some tests; I was also afraid of getting injured,” he added.

“My goal was to participate in the World Cup, and now my goal is to rule the final match,” he concluded.

The 41-year-old became a FIFA referee in 2008. He ruled matches in the 2013, 2015 and 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, as well as the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.