French Referee Benoît Bastien Retires, Named FFF Refereeing Director
Benoît Bastien, 42, retires after 15 years as a top-level French referee, having officiated 227 Ligue 1 matches and over 526 total games, including the 2015 League Cup final, two Coupe de France finals, and the 2017 U21 Euro final. He was voted best Ligue 1 referee in 2022 and 2024-2025. Bastien immediately becomes deputy technical director of refereeing at the French Football Federation (FFF), overseeing professional men's competitions and pioneering referee microphone systems and live VAR explanations, a practice he introduced in France in April 2026.
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Retired Referee Benoît Bastien Joins French Football Federation Officiating Management
After announcing his retirement earlier on Monday, 43-year-old former referee Benoît Bastien has immediately transitioned into a new role with the French Football Federation (FFF). He joins as Deputy Technical Director of Officiating, delegated to men's professional competitions. Bastien will serve under Director of Officiating Antony Gautier, overseeing management and coordination of all officiating activities and operations in Ligue 1, Ligue 2, and Ligue 3. His responsibilities include performance monitoring, evaluating assistant referees and video match officials, defining and implementing technical policy for officiating, as well as supervising and coordinating instructor managers within the officiating department. Bastien ends a 15-year top-level refereeing career to take on this administrative role.
Foot - actualités, mercato, info & vidéo en continuBenoît Bastien joins FFF as deputy technical director of refereeing
Benoît Bastien, a long-serving Ligue 1 referee, retired after officiating his final match—the first leg of the playoff between Saint-Étienne and Nice on May 26—following fifteen seasons in France's top flight. However, he will remain in football and immediately transitions into an administrative role at the French Football Federation (FFF). The FFF officially announced on June 29, 2026, that Bastien has been appointed as deputy technical director of refereeing, with a specific delegation for men's professional competitions. This role places him within the FFF's refereeing directorate, ensuring his expertise continues to benefit the sport. The news was reported by Foot Mercato, citing the FFF's official website.
Foot Mercato : Info Transferts Football - Actu Foot TransfertBenoît Bastien Retires from Refereeing, Appointed Director of Professional Refereeing in France
French football referee Benoît Bastien has announced his retirement after 15 years as a national referee and 12 at the international level. He has been appointed director of the professional refereeing sector within the French Football Federation (FFF). Bastien, who began officiating in the elite at age 28, was voted best Ligue 1 referee at the UNFP Awards in 2022 and named best referee of the 2024-2025 season by the Federal Refereeing Commission. Over his career, he officiated 526 matches, including 227 Ligue 1 games, the 2015 League Cup final, the 2017 and 2025 Coupe de France finals, 24 Champions League matches, 24 Europa League matches, and the 2017 UEFA U21 Euro final. His last match was the first-leg playoff between Saint-Etienne and Nice on May 26, 2026. In his new role, he will likely manage referee audio implementation, having been the first to explain a VAR decision live to spectators. He follows fellow referee Stéphanie Frappart, who recently retired and joined UEFA as refereeing manager.
Home Football - actualitésFrench football referee Benoît Bastien announces retirement after 15-year career
French referee Benoît Bastien, 42, will end his top-level officiating career after 15 years in Ligue 1, starting at age 28. He has officiated 227 Ligue 1 matches and over 526 games total. Bastien was named Ligue 1 Best Referee at the 2022 UNFP Awards and voted Best Referee for the 2024-2025 season by the Federal Referee Committee. He is expected to remain in French football as the head of the professional refereeing department of the French Football Federation, where he will focus on developing referee communication systems. Notably, he pioneered the use of a public address system in France to explain VAR decisions live to stadium crowds, first used during a Lyon vs Lorient match in April. The report, published on June 29, 2024, originates from Foot Mercato via Hupu soccer.
虎扑 - 足球Ligue 1 Legendary Referee Benoît Bastien to Retire
French referee Benoît Bastien, aged 42, is set to retire from top-level officiating after 15 years, according to Vosges Matin. A native of Épinal, he began in Ligue 1 at 28 and became a reference in French refereeing. He was named best Ligue 1 referee at the 2022 UNFP Trophies and best referee of the 2024-2025 season by the Federal Refereeing Commission. Bastien officiated 227 Ligue 1 matches and over 526 total games in his career. He will remain in French football, taking charge of the professional refereeing sector within the French Football Federation. His role will include overseeing developments such as the expansion of referee microphone systems, which he pioneered in France during a Lyon vs. Lorient match in April 2026.
Foot Mercato : Info Transferts Football - Actu Foot TransfertFrench referee Benoît Bastien retires, becomes director of professional refereeing at FFF
French referee Benoît Bastien is ending his on-field career after 15 years at the highest level. He officiated 227 Ligue 1 matches and over 526 matches in total, including the recent Ligue 1-Ligue 2 playoff between Saint-Étienne and Nice. Bastien was voted best Ligue 1 referee at the 2022 UNFP Trophies and named best referee of the 2024-2025 season by the Federal Refereeing Commission. He is expected to become the new director of the professional refereeing sector within the French Football Federation, where he will likely manage the expansion of referee microphones and live VAR explanations, a practice he pioneered in April. His retirement follows that of fellow referee Stéphanie Frappart.
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