Jonas Eriksson becomes referee ambassador for Gothia Cup 2024

Former international top referee Jonas Eriksson gets an important role in Gothia Cup 2024.

Jonas Eriksson becomes referee ambassador for Gothia Cup 2024.
– I feel great pride that I get to be an ambassador for something as nice as the referees in the world's biggest football tournament, says Jonas Eriksson.

In addition to 340 matches in Allsvenskan and 47 matches in Superettan, Jonas Eriksson has also refereed over 140 international FIFA and UEFA matches. He has been a referee in both the World Cup and the European Championship as well as refereeing in the Europa League final in 2016. In 2010 he was ranked as one of Europe's ten best referees.
– I dreamed of playing the Gothia Cup as a young guy, but it didn't happen that way. My club chose other tournaments and trips. As a referee, however, I got to participate in Gothia Cup back in 1998 during my Stage 5 education, which is the last step before becoming an elite referee. It was an absolutely fantastic week – a memory for life, says the 49-year-old.

Now Jonas Eriksson steps in as a referee ambassador for Gothia Cup where he will attend the annual referee education the day before the start of Gothia Cup and then be on site among the pitches and give his best tips and advice to the referees.
– I think it will be the funnest week of the year in every way. The tournament starts the day after the final in the European Championship in Germany, which will give a huge boost to all participants, says Jonas Eriksson.
In what ways will you support Gothia Cup's hundreds of referees on site?
– I will be present, speak based on my experience of 31 years of refereeing and thousands of matches at all levels, try to see as much as possible, give simple tips and not change the referees who are there. They are at Gothia Cup because they are good referees, my role is not to change them – but to adjust and calibrate smaller details that my experience can contribute with, he says.