TEHRAN – Gelareh Nazemi from Iran has been nominated for the best referee in the world in 2021.

Nazemi was chosen as the fourth referee of the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Lithuania in October.

She is the first female referee to officiate in an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) men's futsal competition.

Nazemi will have to compete with Nurdin Bukuev (Kyrgyzstan), Juan José Cordero Gallardo (Spain), Mohamed Hassan Hassan Ahmed Youssef (Egypt), Alejandro Martinez Flores (Spain), Valeria Nicole Palma Palma (Chile), Chiara Perona (Italy), Maria Estefania Pinto (Argentina), Antony Riley (New Zealand) and Irina Velikanova (Russia) to win the accolade.

According to futsalplanet.com, Iran’s Farzaneh Tavasoli has been also nominated for the best women's goalkeeper in the world.

Ana Carolina Caliari Sestari (BRA/ITA), Ana Catarina Silva Pereira (POR), Bianca Castagnaro Moraes (BRA), Angelica Dibiase (ITA), Joziane de Oliveira "Jozi" (BRA), Missiara Luiza Papst "Missi" (BRA), Viktoria Sagaidachna (UKR), Silvia Aguete Outón (ESP) and Maria Surnina (RUS) have been also shortlisted for the award.