Viktor Kassai - Football referee

Viktor Kassai is a well-respected former football referee from Hungary. He was born on September 10, 1975, in Tatabánya, Hungary. Known for his calmness under pressure and efficient decision-making, Kassai officiated numerous high-stakes matches in both domestic and international football during his career.

Kassai began his refereeing career in the Hungarian League and was eventually promoted to the Nemzeti Bajnokság I, the top tier of Hungarian football, in 1999. His standout performances at the domestic level caught the attention of international football authorities, and he was added to the FIFA International Referees List in 2003, which allowed him to officiate international fixtures.

Kassai's international career is distinguished by his appointments to several major tournaments. He officiated matches in the UEFA European Championship in 2008 and 2012, as well as the FIFA World Cup in 2010. Notably, he was selected to referee the final of the 2011 UEFA Champions League between Barcelona and Manchester United, becoming the first Hungarian to referee a Champions League final since Sándor Puhl in 1997.

Throughout his career, Kassai was lauded for his command of the game, his understanding of football's laws, and his ability to communicate effectively with players. He was known for letting the game flow, preferring to use his cards sparingly.

In 2019, Kassai made the transition from field officiating to video assistant refereeing (VAR), becoming the head of the VAR project in the Hungarian football league. He officially retired from on-field refereeing in 2020 but has remained involved in football through his VAR work.

Kassai has also made contributions to the sport outside of officiating. He serves as the head of the Referee’s Technical Committee for the Hungarian Football Federation, where he's involved in the training and development of Hungarian referees.

Champions League 2019 - 2020
Group StageAtlético de MadridLokomotiv Moskva2019-12-112-0
Euro 2020 qualifiers
SpainMalta2019-11-157-0
PolandAustria2019-09-090-0
Europa League 2019 - 2020
Play-offsPartizanMolde2019-08-222-1
Champions League 2018 - 2019
group stageManchester CityShakhtar2018-11-076 - 0
group stageNapoliLiverpool2018-10-031 - 0
UEFA Nations League 2018-2019 - League C
AlbaniaIsrael2018-09-071 - 0
Europa League 2018 - 2019
round of 32BetisRennes2019-02-211 - 3
play-offsBurnleyOlympiakos2018-08-301 - 1
Champions League 2017 - 2018
group stageLeipzig SCBesiktas2017-12-061 - 2
group stageMariborLiverpool2017-10-170 - 7
group stageOlympiakosSporting2017-09-122 - 3
Europa League 2017 - 2018
round of 32LyonVillarreal2018-02-153 - 1
play-offClub BruggeAEK2017-08-170 - 0
WC 2017 u20
group stageGuinea u20Argentina u202017-05-260 - 5
group stageSaudi Arabia u20Senegal u202017-05-220 - 2
Club World Cup 2016
1/2 finalAtlético NacionalKashima Antlers2016-12-140 - 3
1/4 finalsJeonbuk HyundaiAmérica2016-12-111 - 2
Champions League 2016 - 2017
1/4 finalsReal MadridBayern Munich2017-04-184 - 2
group stageManchester CityBarcelona2016-11-013 - 1
group stagePSGArsenal2016-09-131 - 1
WC 2018 qualifiers - Europe
TurkeyCroatia2017-09-051 - 0
MontenegroPoland2017-03-261 - 2
SerbiaIreland2016-09-052 - 2
Europa League 2016 - 2017
1/8 finalsAS RomaLyon2017-03-162 - 1
group stageAthletic BilbaoSassuolo2016-11-243 - 2
play-offMariborQabala2016-08-251 - 0
Euro 2016
1/4 finalsGermanyItaly2016-07-021 - 1
group stageItalySweden2016-06-171 - 0
group stageFranceRomania2016-06-102 - 1
Europa League 2015 - 2016
1/2 finalLiverpoolVillarreal2016-05-053 - 0
Champions League 2015 - 2016
1/4 finalsReal MadridWolfsburg2016-04-123 - 0
1/8 finalsZenitBenfica2016-03-091 - 2
group stageArsenalDinamo Zagreb2015-11-243 - 0
group stageLeverkusenAS Roma2015-10-204 - 4
group stageManchester UnitedWolfsburg2015-09-302 - 1
play-offsAstanaAPOEL2015-08-181 - 0
Euro 2016 qualifiers
ScotlandPoland2015-10-082 - 2
NorwayCroatia2015-09-062 - 0
AlbaniaDenmark2014-10-111 - 1
Europa League 2014 - 2015
group stageTrabzonsporLegia Warszawa2014-10-020 - 1
Champions League 2014 - 2015
group stageArsenalDortmund2014-11-262 - 0
group stageReal MadridLiverpool2014-11-041 - 0
play-offsCelticMaribor2014-08-260 - 1
WC 2014 qualifiers Playoffs
MexicoNew Zealand2013-11-135 - 1
Champions League 2013 - 2014
round of 16LeverkusenPSG2014-02-180 - 4
group stageNapoliArsenal2013-12-112 - 0
group stageSchalke 04Chelsea F.C.2013-10-220 - 3
group stageJuventusGalatasaray2013-10-022 - 2
Europa League 2013 - 2014
1/4 finalsValenciaBasel2014-04-105 - 0
play-offsNiceApollon2013-08-291 - 0
WC 2013 u20
group stageUzbekistan u20Uruguay u202013-06-290 - 4
group stageCuba u20Nigeria u202013-06-240 - 3
Europa League 2012 - 2013
round of 32PlzenNapoli2013-02-212 - 0
Gulf Cup 2013
group stageBahrainQatar2013-01-111 - 0
group stageSaudi ArabiaIraq2013-01-060 - 2
WC 2014 qualifiers - Europe
BulgariaCzech Republic2013-10-150 - 1
FranceSpain2013-03-260 - 1
RussiaPortugal2012-10-121 - 0
Champions League 2012 - 2013
1/2 finalBayern MunichBarcelona2013-04-234 - 0
round of 16BarcelonaAC Milan2013-03-124 - 0
group stageBenficaCeltic2012-11-202 - 1
group stageDortmundReal Madrid2012-10-242 - 1
group stageAnderlechtMalaga2012-10-030 - 3
play-offsKiryat ShmonaBATE2012-08-281 - 1
Euro 2012
group stageEnglandUkraine2012-06-191 - 0
group stageSpainItaly2012-06-101 - 1
Europa League 2011 - 2012
round of 16Schalke 04Twente2012-03-154 - 1
Champions League 2011-2012
1/2 finalsReal MadridBayern Munich2012-04-252 - 1
round of 16AC MilanArsenal2012-02-154 - 0
group stageLeverkusenChelsea F.C.2011-11-232 - 1
group stageBaselBenfica2011-10-180 - 2
group stageBayern MunichManchester City2011-09-272 - 0
qualifiers (play-offs)APOELWisla Krakow2011-08-233 - 1
Europa League 2010 - 2011
1/4 finalsSpartak MoskvaPorto2011-04-142 - 5
Champions League 2010-2011
finalBarcelonaManchester United2011-05-283 - 1
round of 16InternazionaleBayern Munich2011-02-230 - 1
group stageBragaArsenal2010-11-232 - 0
group stageTottenham HotspurInternazionale2010-11-023 - 1
group stageValenciaManchester United2010-09-290 - 1
Euro 2012 qualifiers
play-offsEstoniaIreland2011-11-110 - 4
BelarusBosnia-Herzegovina2011-09-020 - 2
SpainCzech Republic2011-03-252 - 1
EnglandBulgaria2010-09-034 - 0
Champions League 2010-2011 qualifiers
play-offsSampdoriaWerder Bremen2010-08-243 - 2
WC 2010
1/2 finalsGermanySpain2010-07-070 - 1
round of 16USAGhana2010-06-261 - 2
group stageMexicoUruguay2010-06-220 - 1
Europa League 2009 - 2010
1/4 finalsWolfsburgFulham2010-04-080 - 1
WC 2009 u17
1/4 finalsSwitzerland u17Italy u172009-11-082 - 1
group stageUruguay u17Algeria u172009-10-292 - 0
group stageSpain u17USA u172009-10-262 - 1
WC 2010 qualifiers Playoffs
BahrainNew Zealand2009-10-100 - 0
WC 2010 qualifiers - Asia
BahrainNew Zealand2009-10-100 - 0
Champions League 2009-2010
round of 16Sevilla FCCSKA Moskva2010-03-161 - 2
group stageVfB StuttgartUnirea Urziceni2009-12-093 - 1
group stageManchester UnitedWolfsburg2009-09-302 - 1
group stageOlympiakosAZ2009-09-161 - 0
play-offsSportingFiorentina2009-08-182 - 2
UEFA Cup 2008 - 2009
round of 16Hamburger SVGalatasaray2009-03-121 - 1
Champions League 2008-2009
group stageFiorentinaLyon2008-11-251 - 2
group stageWerder BremenPanathinaikos2008-11-040 - 3
group stageVillarrealCeltic2008-09-301 - 0
WC 2010 qualifiers - Europe
BelarusUkraine2009-09-090 - 0
FinlandGermany2008-09-103 - 3
Olympic Games 2008
finalNigeria OTArgentina OT2008-08-230 - 1
group stageArgentina OTAustralia OT2008-08-101 - 0
UEFA Cup 2007 - 2008
round of 16GetafeBenfica2008-03-121 - 0
1st roundAris ThessalonikiReal Zaragoza2007-09-201 - 0
Champions League 2007-2008
group stageSlaviaSevilla FC2007-12-120 - 3
group stageDynamo KyivManchester United2007-10-232 - 4
qualifiers 3rd roundBenficaKobenhavn2007-08-142 - 1
WC 2007 u20
group stageArgentina u20Korea DPR u202007-07-061 - 0
group stageBrazil u20Korea Republic u202007-07-033 - 2
round of 16Mexico u20Congo DR u202007-06-123 - 0
Euro 2008 qualifiers
FranceLithuania2007-10-172 - 0
FinlandKazakhstan2007-08-222 - 1
EstoniaCroatia2007-06-020 - 1
BelarusSlovenia2006-10-114 - 2
UEFA Cup 2006 - 2007
round of 16Sevilla FCShakhtar2007-03-082 - 2
group stageWisla KrakowBasel2006-11-303 - 1
1st roundAustria KärntenLivorno2006-09-280 - 1
1st roundHertha BSCOB2006-09-142 - 2
Euro 2007 u21 qualifiers
Croatia u21Ukraine u212006-09-061 - 2
Champions League 2006-2007
qualifiers 2nd roundSiroki BrijegHearts2006-08-020 - 0
Euro 2006 u19 qualifiers
Greece u19Germany u192005-10-172 - 3
Netherlands u19Greece u192005-10-142 - 3
UEFA Cup 2005 - 2006
group stageMaccabi Petach-TikvaLokomotiv Moskva2005-11-300 - 4
1st roundAPOELHertha BSC2005-09-150 - 1
Champions League 2005-2006
qualifiers 2nd roundNeftchi BakuAnderlecht2005-08-031 - 0
Euro 2005 u19
1/2 finalsSerbia and Montenegro u19England u192005-07-261 - 3
group stageArmenia u19England u192005-07-201 - 1
group stageNorthern Ireland u19Greece u192005-07-180 - 1
Intertoto 2005
2nd roundHamburger SVPobeda2005-07-024 - 1
WC 2006 qualifiers - Europe
LithuaniaBosnia-Herzegovina2005-09-070 - 1
KazakhstanTurkey2005-06-080 - 6
SlovakiaLuxembourg2004-08-183 - 1
Euro 2006 u21 qualifiers
Greece u21Turkey u212004-09-072 - 1
Champions League 2004-2005
qualifiers 2nd roundHajdukShelbourne2004-07-283 - 2
friendly
AustriaBrazil2018-06-100 - 3
BelgiumPortugal2018-06-020 - 0
RussiaKorea Republic2017-10-074 - 2
BelgiumTunisia2014-06-071 - 0
EnglandPeru2014-05-303 - 0
IrelandSerbia2014-03-051 - 2
SwedenBrazil2012-08-150 - 3
RomaniaUruguay2012-02-291 - 1
GermanyBrazil2011-08-103 - 2
NetherlandsTurkey2010-11-171 - 0
AustriaSweden2009-02-110 - 2
PortugalEngland2004-02-181 - 1
UEFA Cup 2003 - 2004
1st roundMoldeLeiria2003-10-153 - 1
qualifiersKamen IngradEtzella Ettelbruck2003-08-287 - 0
friendly tournament
RussiaYugolsavia2002-05-191 - 1