French referee Benoit Bastien will retire at the highest level after fifteen years in office, according to information from Vosges Morning. At the age of 42, the Epinal native began playing in Ligue 1 at just 28 years of age and has established himself as one of the authorities in French refereeing. Voted the best referee in Ligue 1 during the 2022 UNFP Trophies, he was then named the best referee for the 2024-2025 season by the Federal Arbitration Commission. During his career he officiated 227 L1 matches and over 526 matches in total.
The rest after this announcement
However, Benoit Bastien should continue to play French football. According to Vosges MorningHe is preparing to head the professional refereeing sector at the French Football Federation. In particular, he will have to support the development of the profession, including the development of a referee sound system, a device he became the first to use in France during the match between Lyon and Lorient in April, to explain on live television a decision made after the use of video assistant refereeing.
Pub. and 06/29/2026 13:36
– Updated 06/29/2026, 17:01.