CTA Refereeing Roster for 2026–27: Cuadra Fernández and Muñiz Ruíz Moved to VAR Roles
CTA refereeing roster for 2026–27 released, with international referees Cuadra Fernández and Muñiz Ruíz reassigned to VAR-only duties and several promotions and relegations confirmed.
The Spanish Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) has finalized its refereeing roster for the 2026–27 season, announcing a series of high-profile changes that reshape match-day officiating in LaLiga and the lower divisions. The headline move sees FIFA-listed referees Guillermo Cuadra Fernández and Alejandro Muñiz Ruíz removed from on-field duties in the Primera División and reassigned to a dedicated VAR unit. The decision accompanies four demotions from the top tier, multiple promotions into Primera and Segunda, and notable appointments in the women’s game, marking a significant turnover ahead of the new campaign.
Cuadra Fernández and Muñiz Ruíz shift to VAR-exclusive roles
The CTA confirmed that Guillermo Cuadra Fernández and Alejandro Muñiz Ruíz will cease to act as main referees in Primera División matches and will instead form part of a specific group assigned to VAR operations. Both officials hold FIFA credentials and have stood in high-profile domestic and international fixtures, a factor the CTA cited in moving them to technologically focused roles. The reassignment is framed as a strategic decision to leverage their experience in video-assisted decision-making for the benefit of top-tier competitions.
The move to a VAR-only corps removes two familiar faces from center-circle duties but keeps their expertise within the elite officiating structure. It is uncommon for international referees to be shifted off-field while remaining active in national assignments, underscoring the CTA’s intent to strengthen VAR consistency. The reassignment also opens playing-field opportunities for other referees to step into Primera División center roles for the coming season.
Four referees relegated from Primera División
Alongside the two VAR reassignments, the CTA announced that four referees will no longer serve as on-field officials in LaLiga’s top division. Guillermo Cuadra Fernández and Alejandro Muñiz Ruíz are joined on the list of departures from match refereeing in Primera by José Luis Guzmán Mansilla and Iosu Galech. Guzmán Mansilla and Galech, who each had a single season at the top level, will return to officiate in Segunda División.
The CTA’s decision reflects a combination of performance review outcomes and broader rotation policies aimed at maintaining standards and refreshing the pool of on-field officials. Dropping referees who have had limited Primera experience indicates a willingness to manage career trajectories actively, moving some officials back to a level where they can continue to develop. The reshuffle is likely to affect match assignments and referee-team familiarity in the early rounds of the league.
Promotions to Primera División announced
To fill the vacancies in the top flight, the CTA promoted four referees to act as main officials in Primera División matches next season. Manuel Jesús Orellana, Carlos Muñiz, Jon Ander González and Lluís Bestard are the officials elevated to the elite on-field roster. The committee also identified two referees, Alejandro Quintero González and Víctor García Verdura, as candidates to attain FIFA international status and to serve in expanded roles given the openings created by the VAR reassignment.
These promotions reflect the CTA’s pathway for rewarding domestic performance and readiness for top-level fixtures. Orellana, Muñiz, Jon Ander González and Bestard will face immediate scrutiny as they adjust to the pace and pressures of Primera matches, where decisions carry heightened consequence. The selection of Quintero González and García Verdura as international candidates points to a simultaneous focus on future-proofing Spain’s pool of match officials.
Olatz Rivera elevated to Segunda División
In the second-tier structure, the CTA confirmed the promotion of Olatz Rivera to the Segunda División, making her one of the most prominent female officials within the national professional ranks. Rivera, who refereed the Copa de la Reina final this season and served prominently in Primera RFEF assignments, will join Marta Huerta in the same category. The CTA additionally promoted Abraham Domínguez, Juan Manuel Gordillo, Daniel Miranda, Pablo Morales and Gonzalo Romero to Segunda División.
To create space for the incoming officials, Alonso de Ena, Miguel González, Álvaro Moreno and Sergiu C. Muresan were removed from the Segunda roster. The reshuffle in the second tier underscores the CTA’s dual aim of recognizing merit and ensuring a competitive, performance-driven selection process. Rivera’s elevation is particularly significant for the visibility of women in professional refereeing and may influence appointment patterns in both men’s and women’s competitions.
Women’s League appointments: Ágata López and Arantza Gallastegui
The CTA also announced appointments affecting the women’s top flight, promoting Ágata López and Arantza Gallastegui to officiate in Liga Femenina’s Primera División. Both referees have progressed through the national system and will now be available for the highest-level matches in Spain’s professional women’s league. Their promotions continue a trend of specific investment in the development and visibility of female referees across domestic competitions.
These additions come as the women’s game in Spain continues to expand in terms of investment, audience and competitive depth. By strengthening the pool of experienced officials available for Liga Femenina, the CTA aims to support consistent standards of officiating as the league evolves. The move also highlights pathways for advancement within the women’s referee corps and provides fresh options for match appointments at the highest domestic level.
VAR exits and broader refereeing implications
The committee confirmed that Mario Melero López and Pablo González Fuertes have left VAR duties, effectively ending their tenure in the technological support roles for domestic competitions. The CTA noted that González Fuertes’ profile had been subject to public attention following a controversial press conference in the Cup final build-up, which added to scrutiny of VAR operations. The departures remove two experienced operators from the system and will require replacement or redistribution of responsibilities within the VAR corps.
Taken together, the roster adjustments reflect a larger recalibration of Spain’s officiating resources across on-field and technological domains. Reassigning international referees to VAR, promoting younger or less-experienced center referees to Primera, and refreshing the Segunda and women’s lists are steps intended to balance experience with renewal. Clubs, players and league administrators can expect a different composition of officials to start the season, which may influence managerial strategies and referee preparation.
The CTA’s announcements also underline the committee’s role in career management for referees, balancing performance reviews with structural needs of competitions. With several established officials moving to different roles or exiting VAR, the committee will need to ensure consistent training and oversight to maintain decision-making quality. The upcoming season will serve as an early test of whether these personnel changes achieve the intended gains in officiating consistency and match integrity.
The reshuffle concludes a season-long evaluation process and sets the stage for fresh narratives in domestic officiating, from high-profile VAR interventions to the on-field careers of newly promoted referees.
