Draft:Alex Vaz

Alex Vaz was an Indian football referee, instructor and sports administrator who served on the FIFA International Referees Panel from 1972. He officiated international football matches across Asia, including FIFA World Cup qualification tournaments in Iran (1973) and Singapore (1977). Vaz later became a FIFA referee instructor and lecturer, and is regarded as one of the pioneers of modern refereeing development in India.

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• Comment: You can't use AI / LLM. See WP:SPORTBIO for the sort of sources that are needed for notability. ChrysGalley (talk) 09:21, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

• Comment: In accordance with Wikipedia's Conflict of interest guideline, I disclose that I have a conflict of interest regarding the subject of this article. Donvaz (talk) 05:57, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

He was also the recipient of the Shiv Chhatrapati Award, the highest sports honour conferred by the Government of Maharashtra, for his contribution to football.

Early refereeing career

Vaz began his refereeing career in 1956 under the Western India Football Association (WIFA). Through consistent performances at regional and national tournaments, he rose through the ranks of Indian refereeing.

In 1968, he was promoted to National Class Referee by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), recognizing him among the leading referees in the country.

FIFA refereeing career

In 1972, Vaz was placed on the FIFA Panel of Referees, enabling him to officiate international matches and tournaments.

He officiated in several international competitions, including:

1973 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) – held in Tehran, Iran

1977 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) – held in Singapore

During these tournaments he refereed matches involving national teams from across Asia and represented India in the international refereeing circuit.

Referee instructor and international appointments After his active refereeing career, Vaz continued to contribute to football as a referee instructor.

He served as a:

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FIFA Instructor

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Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Instructor

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AIFF Referee Instructor

He attended several refereeing development courses across Asia and conducted referee training programs in:

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Iraq

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Hong Kong

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Singapore

Vaz is regarded as the only Indian referee selected as a FIFA Referee Instructor/Lecturer.

Tournament officiating and technical roles Vaz was appointed by FIFA and AFC to supervise refereeing at several international tournaments, including:

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Asian Youth Football Tournament – Singapore

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World Cup qualifying match – Nepal

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Football tournament at the 1982 Asian Games, New Delhi

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Jawaharlal Nehru Gold Cup tournament – Kochi

Career in education

Outside football, Vaz was a teacher by profession. He also contributed significantly to school sports administration.

He served as President of the Mumbai Schools Sports Association (MSSA), one of India’s oldest school sports organizations, which conducts competitions in multiple Olympic sports disciplines.

Awards and honours

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Shiv Chhatrapati Award – Government of Maharashtra

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Best Teacher Award – Government of Maharashtra

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Special Sports Award – Government of Goa

Legacy

Alex Vaz is remembered as one of the early Indian referees to achieve international recognition through FIFA appointments and instructional roles. His work as a referee, instructor and sports administrator contributed to the development of refereeing standards and youth sports in India