Introducing Werner Winsemann

Werner Winsemann is the only Canadian to be Centre Referee in a men's FIFA World Cup Finals match.

Born in Bremen Germany in January 1933, Werner Winsemann moved to Canada in 1954. In 1960, Werner became a Canadian citizen and began refereeing. Werner became a National Referee in 1970 and a FIFA Referee from 1971 to 1980, his appointments including the 1974 and 1978 World Cup tournaments and the 1972 and 1976 Olympic Games. To date Werner is the only Canadian to be the Centre Referee of a men's FIFA World Cup Finals match: Netherlands vs. Sweden in 1974. Werner refereed in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1981, most notably the 1975 Soccer Bowl championship and the 1980 Franz Beckenbauer Farewell Match.

Werner served on the CSA's Referees Committee and as a National Assessor. Werner served as a BC Soccer Director from 1978 to 1980 and later served on its Referee Development Committee. Werner helped found the British Columbia Soccer Referees Association (BCSRA) serving as Vancouver Area President. Recognized as BC Soccer's Official of the Year in 1999, the Association's High Performance Official Award is now named for Werner.

An inaugural inductee of the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame and inaugural CSA Ray Morgan Award and CSA International Achievement Award recipient, Werner is a Life Member of BC Soccer, BCSRA and VASRA. He was inducted into the Soccer Hall of Fame of BC as an inaugural member in 2019.