“It’s been a long journey getting to this point in my career, so to finally be able to get the chance to perform at a tournament of this level is a proud achievement.”
Sheehan has been an assistant referee for New Zealand’s A-League since last year and was part of the officiating panel at several Oceania Football Confederation tournaments, Chatham Cup finals and a National League final.
“There are so many things to enjoy about refereeing, from having the best seat in the house to making lifelong friendships. For me, it’s not just about the love of football but it’s the people who I have met over the last two decades – we are like family,“ Sheehan said.
Gareth Sheehan says it is a "great honour and privilege" to be selected as a Fifa U-17 World Cup official.
He began his journey as a referee in 2005, having been a long-time football player. In his last year of high school, he saw a Taranaki Football Referees Association advertisement calling for more members.
He contacted the chairman, Norm Briggs, who has since become a large and supportive influence on his career. Sheehan took several referee courses and started officiating at Taranaki matches.
He said his ultimate goal was to officiate at a Fifa World Cup, hoping that if he performed well in Qatar he would be “one step closer to reaching that goal”.
Despite his high-level achievements, Sheehan still officiates on the local level at matches around Whanganui.
“Grassroots football is where it all started for me and to give back to local football is something I really enjoy ... to stay connected with everybody that has had a part to play in my career from the beginning.”
