Lithuanian referee appointed to officiate at FIFA youth world championship

Irina Pozdejeva is heading to another major international tournament after a standout run of appointments for a Lithuanian referee.

The assistant referee will begin work on Sept. 5 at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland. The tournament will be hosted by four Polish cities and will feature 24 teams competing for the title.

Pozdejeva will be on the field on the opening day when Mexico face Benin at the Katowice stadium from 7 p.m. She will assist Italian referee Maria Caputi, alongside Romanian assistant referee Daniela Constantinescu.

The appointment continues a memorable period for Pozdejeva. She worked at the final stage of the UEFA Women’s European Championship in Switzerland before being selected for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco. Her work there led to an appointment for the final, and she has continued to receive assignments in UEFA women’s club competitions.

North Korea are the defending champions in this age group after winning last year’s tournament in Colombia.