Hiroki Kasahara (referee)

Hiroki Kasahara
笠原寛貴
Full name Hiroki Kasahara
Born (1989-04-08) 8 April 1989
Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
Domestic
Years League Role
2014–present[1] J3 League Referee
2019–present[2] J.League Referee
International
Years League Role
2020–present FIFA listed Referee

Hiroki Kasahara (Japanese: 笠原寛貴, Hepburn: Kasahara Hiroki; born 8 April 1989)[3] is a Japanese football referee, as well as a VAR and AVAR official. He is FIFA-listed since 2020.[2]

Career

Born in Fukuoka Prefecture, Kasahara played for a local football club during his elementary school years, and was a member of the football team of the Municipal Oji Junior High School and later of the Prefectural Chikushi High School.[3] After graduating from the International University of Health and Welfare in 2012, he enrolled in the Japan Football Association's Referee College, a referee training program preparing officials for the local and national leagues. He completed the program in 2014[4] and obtained his first-class referee qualification.[3]

He has been a referee in the J3 League since 2014,[1] and the J1 League since 2019.[2] In 2020, Kasahara was given the international badge by FIFA.[2]

Kasahara has refereed AFC Champions League Elite matches,[5] and was appointed in August 2025,[6] as Japan's representative at the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar,[5] leading the inaugural match between South Africa and Bolivia, which ended in a 3–1 victory for the South Africans.[7] He also officiated the final match of 2025 AFC U-20 Asian Cup in China as the main referee.

In August 2023, Kasahara refereed the final of the AFF U-23 Championship in Thailand, between Vietnam and Indonesia, which ended in a Vietnamese victory on penalties.[8] After the game, Indonesia's coach Shin Tae-yong accused Kasahara of "detrimental decisions" that directly affected Indonesia, including an alleged elbow strike by Vietnamese player Nguyễn Hồng Phúc on Indonesian Haykal Alhafiz which, according to Shin, should have been issued with a red card.[9] Shin reacted angrily and scolded Kasahara on the pitch following Indonesia's defeat.[9] The controversy continued in the following days, with the Football Association of Indonesia threatening to withdraw from the AFF Cup after an online campaign by Indonesian fans, which trended the hashtag "GoodByeAFF".[10] Shin also continued the attacks on Kasahara in the days after, saying that he gave a nonexistent penalty kick to Vietnam, after player Nguyễn Minh Quang fell in the goalkeeper's area, with goalkeeper Ernando Ari subsequently saving the kick.[11]

Kasahara also served as the video assistant referee at the 2023 J.League Cup final, which was won 2–1 by Avispa Fukuoka over Urawa Red Diamonds at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo.[12]

Selected record

2023 AFF U-23 Championship – Thailand
Date Match Result Round
18 August 2023  Malaysia –  Indonesia 2–1 Group stage
22 August 2023  Vietnam –  Philippines 1–0 Group stage
24 August 2023  Thailand –  Indonesia 1–3 Semifinal
26 August 2023  Vietnam –  Indonesia 0–0 (6–5) Final
2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup – Qatar
Date Match Result Round
3 November 2025  South Africa –  Bolivia 3–1 Group stage
6 November 2025  Senegal –  Costa Rica 1–0 Group stage
9 November 2025  Italy –  South Africa 3–1 Group stage

References

  1. ^ a b "2021年度　新規契約プロフェッショナルレフェリーについて". JFA News (in Japanese). 1 February 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d "Profil Hiroki Kasahara, Wasit Jepang yang Rugikan Timnas Indonesia U-23 di Final Piala AFF U-23 2023". OneFootball (in Indonesian). bolatimes.com. 28 August 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "国際審判員 プロフィール" (PDF). JFA News (in Japanese). 30 January 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  4. ^ "レフェリーカレッジ10期生が全課程を終了". JFA News (in Japanese). 12 December 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  5. ^ a b "サッカー審判員・笠原寛貴　「グレーゾーン」を見定め試合を走らせる". The Nikkei (in Japanese). 24 October 2025. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  6. ^ "U17 World Cup: the list of referees selected for the tournament". OneFootball. 22 October 2025. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
  7. ^ "Bolivia hizo el gasto, pero Sudáfrica fue el efectivo". Correo del Sur (in Spanish). Sucre, Bolivia. 4 November 2025. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  8. ^ Duc, Anh (28 August 2023). "Vietnam crowned AFF U23 champions after penalty shootout win". Asia News Network. Việt Nam News. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  9. ^ a b Thu, Trung (27 August 2023). "Indonesia coach disappointed with referee after Vietnam loss". VnExpress. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  10. ^ Nguyen, Hoang (29 August 2023). "Indonesia consider quitting AFF after controversial refereeing". VnExpress. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  11. ^ Nguyen, Hoang (29 August 2023). "Indonesia coach has more shade for AFF referee". VnExpress. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  12. ^ "【ルヴァン杯決勝 福岡-浦和】スタメン発表。あのエースがまさかのメンバー外に!". Sakanowa News (in Japanese). 4 November 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
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