Academic Referee Leads Al-Hilal and Al-Shabab Summit in Roshan League
The Bulgarian referee Georgi Kabakov has been assigned the task of officiating the match between Al-Hilal and Al-Shabab on Friday evening at the "Kingdom Arena," as part of the seventh round of the Saudi Roshan League, according to an official announcement from the Saudi Football Federation.
Kabakov, who is 39 years old, is known for his extensive refereeing experience in addition to his distinguished academic background, as he holds a PhD in Sports Coaching Sciences and works as a university professor at Paisii Hilendarski University in the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv.
The Bulgarian referee balances his academic and family life; he is married to Ralitsa Kabakova and has two children, speaks English in addition to his native language, and his research focuses on developing physical and mental training methods for referees. His research committee praised him as a "respected professor."
Kabakov will be assisted in the Al-Hilal and Al-Shabab summit by a Bulgarian crew that includes Martin Margeritov and Martin Minev, while Abdullah Al-Owaidan will serve as the fourth official. In the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) room, the Bulgarian duo Nikola Buyov and Radoslav Gidzhinov will be present.
Kabakov has officiated 16 matches in the Saudi Roshan League throughout his career, issuing 67 yellow cards without any red cards, and awarding 9 penalties, reflecting a calm and disciplined approach to managing games.
His first appearance in Saudi stadiums was during the 2019–2020 season when he officiated the match between Al-Raed and Al-Fayha, while his last appearance last season was in the match between Al-Ahli and Al-Qadisiyah, which ended with Al-Ahli winning 4-1 in round 22.
He has also previously officiated major matches, most notably the Riyadh derby in the second round of last season, which ended with Al-Nassr defeating Al-Hilal 3-1, and he sparked significant controversy in Europe when he disallowed a goal for Liverpool against Toulouse in the UEFA Champions League, a decision that faced widespread criticism from the English media.
Kabakov, who is 39 years old, is known for his extensive refereeing experience in addition to his distinguished academic background, as he holds a PhD in Sports Coaching Sciences and works as a university professor at Paisii Hilendarski University in the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv.
The Bulgarian referee balances his academic and family life; he is married to Ralitsa Kabakova and has two children, speaks English in addition to his native language, and his research focuses on developing physical and mental training methods for referees. His research committee praised him as a "respected professor."
Kabakov will be assisted in the Al-Hilal and Al-Shabab summit by a Bulgarian crew that includes Martin Margeritov and Martin Minev, while Abdullah Al-Owaidan will serve as the fourth official. In the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) room, the Bulgarian duo Nikola Buyov and Radoslav Gidzhinov will be present.
Kabakov has officiated 16 matches in the Saudi Roshan League throughout his career, issuing 67 yellow cards without any red cards, and awarding 9 penalties, reflecting a calm and disciplined approach to managing games.
His first appearance in Saudi stadiums was during the 2019–2020 season when he officiated the match between Al-Raed and Al-Fayha, while his last appearance last season was in the match between Al-Ahli and Al-Qadisiyah, which ended with Al-Ahli winning 4-1 in round 22.
He has also previously officiated major matches, most notably the Riyadh derby in the second round of last season, which ended with Al-Nassr defeating Al-Hilal 3-1, and he sparked significant controversy in Europe when he disallowed a goal for Liverpool against Toulouse in the UEFA Champions League, a decision that faced widespread criticism from the English media.
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