FIFA referee Ishmael Barbara has been appointed to take charge of Thursday’s senior international friendly between Romania and Moldova, following close collaboration between the Romania and Malta refereeing departments. This appointment follows his Matchday 1 assignment in the UEFA Europa Conference League in Poland last week, underlining continued confidence in the Maltese official.
Barbara will lead a largely Maltese team at the Arena Națională in Bucharest, with FIFA assistant referees Duncan Sultana and Luke Portelli on the lines. Andrei Chivulete of Romania will serve as the fourth official.
The match is scheduled for Thursday, 9 October 2025, with kick-off at 19:00 CET.
