A southern Alberta man was part of history at the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup.
Micheal Barwegen, who was born in Lethbridge and raised in nearby Coaldale, was selected to participate in the tournament as an assistant referee.
In doing so, Barwegen was part of a historic trio, and was a member of a referee team consisting of Calgary’s Drew Fischer and Laval, Quebec’s Lyes Arfa. The three officials are the first all-Canadian trio to participate together at the historic tournament.
“If someone told me years ago that ‘hey, you’re going to go to a World Cup and you know, the big nations of France, Croatia and Argentina, you’re going to referee [those teams]’, I’d be like, you’re lying to me,” Barwegen told Vista Radio.
He added that Fischer had prior experience as a video official at the tournament, but he and Arfa were just the fifth and sixth Canadians to ever referee in a World Cup.
Barwegen said he served as a reserve assistant referee for the June 15 matchup between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, while his whole team were on the field together for the game pitting France against Iraq on June 22.
The Canadian trio officiated the June 27 contest between Croatia and Ghana, and the Argentina-Cabo Verde matchup on July 3. Barwegen served as a reserve assistant referee for the July 11 quarterfinal game between Argentina and Switzerland.
Barwegen noted that the atmosphere for those matchups was something special.
“Sometimes for those other matches, the atmosphere is huge in the beginning, but like it kind of goes through lulls. The matches we were in, it was like nonstop, from kickoff to the end of the game, the atmosphere was just insane,” he said.
“Even just the spectacle of everything – you have the pre-match ceremony where you’re walking out and it’s like ‘holy crap’, this is that moment, where you’re like, ‘this is kind of cool’ and you know, the music is playing, you’ve got the anthems, everything [and] you’re just taking that all in.”
He added with a laugh, “Part of that is enjoying that moment and then being able to control yourself immediately afterwards because now you’re a professional and you’ve got to do a job for 90-plus minutes or so.”
Many professional athletes have pre-game rituals.
Barwegen said that could also be the case for officials. He explained that before every game, he has a small stuffed bunny that he would take a picture with on the field, as his daughter has a larger version of the stuffie at home.
“That small bunny has been all around the world and so, that’s something that gets collected and is a moment to share with her when she gets older,” Barwegen said.
STAND-OUT MOMENTS
Barwegen said stepping out onto the field for his first game was truly special, and seeing the best players from around the world was a sight to behold.
“The skill level of these players is just insane,” he stated.
However, Barwegen, who serves as an MLS official, joked that he sees a superstar like Lionel Messi multiple times throughout the year, as he plays for Inter Miami. However, that does not take away from the amazement of watching an athlete like the Argentinian play.
“I see him three or four times a year,” Barwegen said.
“Watching him play is always crazy.”
He added that “it was cool” around many different cultures, united by the sport.
Barwegen said one of the most exciting on-field moments came in the July 3 Round of 32 matchup between Argentina and Cabo Verde, when Sidny Lopes Cabral scored a 103rd-minute goal to tie the game at 2-2 and ran into the stands to celebrate with his girlfriend.
“Remember the guy who climbed into the stands to look for his girlfriend to celebrate the goal? Yeah, I’m the one telling him to come back down,” Barwegen recalled.
“It’s pretty cool to even just be part of that whole experience.”
As far as interacting with professional players on the pitch and keeping them accountable, Barwegen said calmness is key.
“This is their career and their job too, so you may be the one with the correct decision but from their viewpoint, you may be the one who may be risking their employment or contributing to results that are not great for their future career,” he explained, adding that maintaining one’s composure, not taking a player’s complaint personally, can help ensure a smooth officiating experience.
EARLY BEGINNINGS
Barwegen, who is also a math teacher at Coalhurst High School, said he has been officiating soccer matches since he was 12 years old. He said he played the sport through junior and high school and initially took a referee course at 12 to earn some extra money.
Near the end of his time in high school, he decided to focus on officiating. “Opportunities came up to maybe learn a bit through baptism by fire,” Barwegen remarked.
Since 2012, he has been a professional on the national list in Canada. In 2018, he was added to the FIFA list of officials and in 2019, Barwegen was hired by Pro Referees to officiate MLS games in North America.
He said he has been working alongside Fischer and Arfa since 2023-24.
The trio worked at the 2024 Paris Olympics together, as well as the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025. He explained that the selection process for the FIFA World Cup is based off performances in other tournaments, with the Canadian trio notified that they would participate in this summer’s World Cup earlier this year.
Barwegen said it was a pleasure to experience the tournament with his referee teammates and represent Canada together. Coming off the tournament, the southern Alberta official has already been back on the road to referee MLS games.
He thanked his wife and daughter for their support, as well as his fellow staff members at Coalhurst High School and the school division, for cheering him on during the tournament.
Barwegen added that students, including exchange students he has taught in the past, have sent him letters of support for his work on the pitch.
Although work continues for Barwegen, he said he is taking time to reflect on the experience at the famous tournament, as the surreality of it all is still setting in.
