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| Born | (1969-02-06)6 February 1969 (age 56) Bellinzona, Switzerland | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Other occupation | Head of Refereeing Development withFIFA | ||
| Domestic | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 1996–2011 | Swiss Super League | Referee | |
| International | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 1999–2011 | FIFA listed | Referee | |
Massimo Busacca (born 6 February 1969) is a Swiss formerfootballreferee, who isFIFA Director of Refereeing, overseeing the protection of football’s core values and the continuous improvement of the game through the development of match officials and referee coaches. He lives inMonte Carasso,Ticino,Switzerland, nearBellinzona.
Busacca was born inBellinzona, Switzerland, to Italian parents fromSicily.[1] Busacca used to play football in a lower division inTicino. After a successful career as a top referee he became Head of FIFA Refereeing in July 2011.
Busacca was a Swiss Super League Referee from 1996 to 2011 and a FIFA referee from 1999 to 2011.[2]
In 2006, Busacca refereed the Swiss championship-deciding match atSt. Jakob-Park, betweenFC Basel andFC Zurich that resulted in the2006 Basel Hooligan Incident.
Busacca took charge of the2007 UEFA Cup Final atHampden Park on 16 May, one of the biggest appointments for a UEFA referee. Busacca sent offRCD Espanyol midfielderMoisés Hurtado for a second bookable offence during the match.
Busacca was selected to referee at theUEFA Euro 2008 tournament in Austria and Switzerland.[3]
At the tournament, Busacca was the referee for the Group C game between Netherlands and Romania, the Group D game between Greece and Sweden and the semi Final match between Germany and Turkey.[4]
Busacca was selected to referee theUEFA Champions League Final in Rome on 27 May 2009 betweenFC Barcelona andManchester United.
He was chosen as a referee for the2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, refereeing the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup semi-final game between South Africa and Brazil match on 25 June 2009 in Johannesburg and Brazil went on to win 1–0.
On 19 September 2009, Busacca was the referee in aSwiss Cupmatch betweenFC Baden andBSC Young Boys. After crowd trouble disrupted the game after home side Baden took an unlikely lead, Busaccaraised his middle finger to the crowd.[5] Busacca had initially denied making the obscene gesture but was handed a three-match ban by theSwiss Football Association and was forced to issue an apology.[6][2]
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Busacca was chosen to be a referee at the2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
He refereed three games:
He was selected as a referee for the2010 FIFA World Cup and refereed theSouth Africa vs. Uruguay game.
He awarded a penalty and showed the red card to the South African goalkeeper,Itumeleng Khune, in the 77th minute, for tripping the Uruguay striker,Luis Suárez. Hosts South Africa went on to lose the game 3–0, and Khune became just the second goalkeeper to be sent off in World Cup history.[7]
On 8 March 2011, Busacca was the referee in aUEFA Champions League 2010–11 Round of 16 match betweenArsenal F.C. andFC Barcelona controversially sendingRobin Van Persie off for kicking the ball after the whistle, with some commentators suggesting that he had cemented his place in the hall of fame of worst refereeing decisions of all time.
It was announced on 14 July 2011 that Busacca had taken up the position of Head of Refereeing Development withFIFA, retiring from active refereeing duties in the process.[9] Busacca has overseen refereeing matters at the 2014, 2018 and 2022 editions of the FIFA World Cup, as well as at the 2015, 2019 and 2023 versions of the Women’s World Cup. He currently serves as FIFA Director Refereeing and as such, he has promoted the development of refereeing on a worldwide basis, including the use of technology and the promotion of female referees who now officiate at the highest level of the game.
Busacca is a devoutCatholic and was crowned Switzerland's non-smoker of the year in 2006.[2]
| Preceded by | UEFA Cup Final referee 2007  Massimo Busacca | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | UEFA Champions League Final referee 2009 Massimo Busacca | Succeeded by |
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