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MIAMI (AP) — One of the 16 referees for this year's CONCACAF Gold Cup will be from Qatar, host of the 2022 World Cup.
The Confederation of North and Central American and Caribbean Association Football said Friday this is part of an agreement in which CONCACAF officials worked at this year's Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
César Ramos of Mexico, the only CONCACAF referee at the Asian Cup, officiated four matches, including Qatar's 4-0 win over the UAE in the semifinals.
The Qatari referee at the Gold Cup will be Abdulrahman Al Jassim, who worked four Asian Cup matches, including Iran's 3-0 quarterfinal victory over China.
Three American referees will be at the Gold Cup: Ismail Elfath, Jair Marrufo and Armando Villarreal. This will be the fifth Gold Cup for Marrufo, who worked the Belgium-Tunisia group stage match at last year's World Cup and Real Madrid's victory over Al Ain in the Club World Cup final.
Mexico is represented by Adonai Escobedo, Fernando Guerrero and Marco Ortíz.
Other referees include Henry Bejarano and Juan Gabriel Calderson of Costa Rica; Yadel Martinez of Cuba; Ivan Barton of El Salvador; Mario Escobar and Walter López of Guatemala; Said Martinez of Honduras and Daneon Parchment of Jamaica; and John Pitti of Panama.
The Gold Cup is June 15 to July 7 and will be held mostly in the U.S., with games also in Jamaica and Costa Rica.
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