Henrik Karlsson

Former referee 🇸🇪 🇺🇸🇨🇭
Swiss Promotion League | PRO Development | MLS VAR
Analysing decisions, the Laws of the Game & VAR

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

Hi, I’m Henrik Karlsson.

I spent the last decade and a half refereeing in Sweden, the United States and Switzerland.

My experience includes:
- Swiss Promotion League
- PRO Development
- Original MLS VAR implementation
- MLS 4th Official & VAR
- USL & NWSL referee

This account explains controversial football decisions using the IFAB Laws of the Game and VAR Protocol.

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

@evil_santan The difference is Messi is always progressing towards goal and not towards the corner flag

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

@DavidLindell10 Dåligt positionerad, blir skymd och ser inte var bollen träffar. Eftersom han inte är säker måste han fria. Men misstaget är ett resultat av positioneringen.

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

@Wolves Gareth Bale?

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

@Cabbie_LDN @SkySportsNews 40% is a large minority. Hope this helps.

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

@Brourjo @EkonomiPappa Elon lät inte dumpa sin stake i / kontroll av SPCX. Det är hans mission.

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

@LuddeBets ”Vi gjorde ett misstag, du betalar”.

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

@snowdeenn @Rainmaker1973 Biggest waves in Europe. Easy day trip from Lisbon and Porto. It’s a big tourist attraction.

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

@iambananya @CNN Amazing how correcting the math turned “greed” into “maybe it’s undervalued.”

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

@iambananya @CNN Misleading. FIFA proposes $40m per association, not $40m in total. The $4.2bn capital raise funds the one-off $20m each, the other $20m is regular 2027–30 development funding. So the whole capital raise would be distributed.

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

OFFICIAL: 🇸🇮 Slavko Vinčić will take charge of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final.

Prior to the final, his tournament consisted of two group stage matches and one Round of 32 tie:

🇧🇷 Brazil 1-1 Morocco 🇲🇦 (GS)
🇯🇴 Jordan 1-2 Algeria 🇩🇿 (GS)
🇲🇽 Mexico 2-0 Ecuador 🇪🇨 (R32)

Football’s biggest match appointed to the Slovene. 🌍🏆

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

@RV_ETSports He did referee the 2024 UCL Final (Real Madrid vs Dortmund), so he certainly has experience at the highest level. That said, it’s quite unusual to go from a Round of 32 match straight to the World Cup Final. Marciniak had group stage & R16 before his 2022 final.

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

@MalSve @rektorhamid Finns flyg från Chile en gång i veckan.

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

@mike1974bell https://t.co/WWM4IXD7du

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

There was no foul in the build up to Argentina’s second goal.

Messi avoids the initial challenge. Spence then follows through and clips Messi’s right foot.

The right angle is everything in refereeing.

#ENGARG #FIFAWorldCup

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

@Senyyo https://t.co/WWM4IXD7du

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

There was no foul in the build up to Argentina’s second goal.

Messi avoids the initial challenge. Spence then follows through and clips Messi’s right foot.

The right angle is everything in refereeing.

#ENGARG #FIFAWorldCup

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

@Itd7x https://t.co/WWM4IXD7du

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

There was no foul in the build up to Argentina’s second goal.

Messi avoids the initial challenge. Spence then follows through and clips Messi’s right foot.

The right angle is everything in refereeing.

#ENGARG #FIFAWorldCup

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

@NS011p https://t.co/WWM4IXD7du

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

There was no foul in the build up to Argentina’s second goal.

Messi avoids the initial challenge. Spence then follows through and clips Messi’s right foot.

The right angle is everything in refereeing.

#ENGARG #FIFAWorldCup

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

@madrid_total2 https://t.co/WWM4IXD7du

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

There was no foul in the build up to Argentina’s second goal.

Messi avoids the initial challenge. Spence then follows through and clips Messi’s right foot.

The right angle is everything in refereeing.

#ENGARG #FIFAWorldCup

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

@MadridPreeti https://t.co/WWM4IXD7du

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

There was no foul in the build up to Argentina’s second goal.

Messi avoids the initial challenge. Spence then follows through and clips Messi’s right foot.

The right angle is everything in refereeing.

#ENGARG #FIFAWorldCup

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

@R_Perkasa The situation was checked and immediately cleared.

https://t.co/EVZH7vVUAK

[Henrik Karlsson @HKReferee]

Perspective illusion. Using the defender’s back heel as the reference point, Messi is clearly onside.

#ENGARG #FIFAWorldCup #Offside