The Malta FA is proud to announce the prestigious appointment of FIFA Referee Ishmael Barbara as Fourth Official for the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship final tournament, which will be held in Slovakia from 11th to 28th June.
This appointment marks a significant achievement for both Ishmael and Maltese refereeing, as it represents a return to the highest levels of UEFA youth competitions after a long absence. The last Maltese involvement at this stage was many years ago, with an assistant referee participating in a previous edition of this elite tournament.
The final tournament features 16 national teams split into four groups, showcasing Europe’s brightest football talents.
Ishmael’s selection follows his successful participation in last year’s UEFA U19 Final Tournament, as well as UEFA’s ongoing monitoring of his positive performances at both international and domestic levels. In preparation for the U21 EURO, he also had to undergo a series of demanding physical tests and fitness programmes, ensuring he met the high standards required for this major UEFA event.
Ishmael is currently in Slovakia alongside fellow international referees as part of the final preparations ahead of the tournament’s kick-off on Wednesday.
His first assignment will be as Fourth Official in the Group B match between Germany and Slovenia, scheduled for Thursday 12th June at 21:00hrs, to be played at the Nitra Stadium. The match will be refereed by Mr Jakob Alexander Sundberg (Denmark), assisted by his compatriots Viktor Skytte and Deniz Yurdakul. Jonas Hansen (Denmark) and Jan Boterberg (Belgium) will be operating as VAR and AVAR, respectively.
This appointment reflects the Malta FA’s ongoing investment in referee development and its commitment to seeing local officials excel on the international stage.
We wish Ishmael the very best in this prestigious assignment and look forward to seeing Maltese refereeing continue to shine across European football.