Female Argentinian referee to officiate Vietnamese game in FIFA Futsal World Cup

According to football’s world governing body FIFA, her assistants will include female referee Vlaria Palma of Chile, along with male referees Castro Zumbado Ronny of Croatia and Henry Gutierrez of Bolivia. 

This will mark the first time that FIFA has assigned female referees to officiate games at the Futsal World Cup. Apart from Maria Estefania Pinto and Vlaria Palma, the global tournament also involves the participation of two other female referees, including Chiara Perona of Italy and Irina Velikanova of Russia. 

The Vietnamese team recently recorded a dramatic win 3-2 over Panama on September 16. Following the game the squad immediately travelled 300km from Klaipeda to Kaunas on September 17 to take part in a training session at the Žalgiris Arena competition hall later on the same day.

The national futsal players need a draw in their final match of Group D against the Czech Republic to secure a place in the round of 16.

The 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup features the participation of 24 teams divided into six groups who are competing in a round robin format, with the top 12 first and second-placed teams, along with the four best third-placed teams, progressing to the round of 16.

The Vietnamese national futsal team is currently placed second among the top four third-placed sides competing in the group stage of the 2021 Futsal World Cup in Lithuania.