Former referee Antonio Briguglio dies

Former Malta referee Antonio P. Briguglio, regarded as one of the country's most respected match officials, has died.

Briguglio enjoyed a distinguished refereeing career that spanned several decades and left a lasting mark on football. He began his refereeing journey in 1961 and quickly established himself as one of the island's leading officials.

His reputation for fairness, professionalism and deep understanding of the game earned him a place on the FIFA and UEFA panels of referees, where he served for 16 years. During that period, Briguglio officiated matches at the highest levels of European and international football.

Following his active refereeing career, Briguglio continued to contribute to the sport as a UEFA Referees' Observer, helping assess and mentor match officials across Europe. His experience and expertise made him a respected figure within refereeing circles both locally and abroad.

In 2022 he was awarded Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika' for his lifelong service to sport.