{{Short description|Former New Zealand football referee}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Infobox football official | name = Matthew Conger | image = Matthew Conger 2018.jpg | fullname = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|10|11|df=y}}<ref name="Worldfootball.net">{{cite web|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/person/pe112522/ |title=Matthew Conger " Matches as referee |publisher=Worldfootball.net |access-date=10 August 2015}}</ref> | birth_place = Plano, Texas, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | otheroccupation = Teacher | years1 = 2007–2024 | league1 = NZFC | role1 = Referee | years2 = 2014–2019 | league2 = A-League | role2 = Referee | internationalyears1 = 2013–2024 | confederation1 = FIFA listed | internationalrole1 = Referee }}
'''Matthew Conger''' (born 11 October 1978) is a retired New Zealand football referee from Palmerston North. Born in Texas, United States, Conger operated in the Australian A-League and the New Zealand Football Championship. He is a former school teacher from Palmerston North who now works for Sport Manawatu.<ref name="stuff">{{cite news | url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/sport/8111312/Conger-climbs-referees-ladder | title=Conger climbs referees' ladder | work=Manawatu Standard | date=22 December 2012 | access-date=22 February 2016 | author=Heagney, George}}</ref>
==Refereeing career== Conger began refereeing in the United States as a teenager, continuing after moving to New Zealand in his early 20s.<ref name="stuff" />
Conger has refereed at the 2015 Under-20 World Cup in New Zealand, the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, the 2017 Under-20 World Cup in South Korea, the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.<ref name="2018 World Cup"/> He has also officiated in numerous A-League and New Zealand Football Championship games. He has also been the man in the middle for OFC Champions League games.<ref name="Worldfootball.net"/>
In 2016, Conger left full-time teaching in order to concentrate more on his refereeing, but in 2017 was engaged part-time at Palmerston North's Carncot School.<ref name="2018 World Cup">{{cite web | url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/99150012/kiwi-ref-matt-conger-off-to-world-cup-in-russia | title=Kiwi football referee Matt Conger off to 2018 Fifa World Cup finals in Russia | publisher=Stuff.co.nz | date=29 November 2017 | access-date=1 June 2018 | author=Heagney, George}}</ref>
In 2017, Conger was named the New Zealand referee of the year.<ref name="2018 World Cup"/>
==FIFA World Cup== {| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto 1em auto; text-align:center; font-size:small;" ! colspan="4" | 2018 FIFA World Cup – Russia |- ! Date !! Match !! Venue !! Round |- | 22 June 2018 || {{fb|NGR}} – {{fb|ISL}} || Volgograd || Group stage |- |}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto 1em auto; text-align:center; font-size:small;" ! colspan="4" | 2022 FIFA World Cup – Qatar |- ! Date !! Match !! Venue !! Round |- | 30 November 2022 || {{fb|TUN}} – {{fb|FRA}} || Al Rayyan || Group stage |- |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{PRO referee|matthew-conger}} * {{WorldReferee.com|matthew_conger}} * {{Olympedia}}
{{2018 FIFA World Cup referees}} {{2022 FIFA World Cup referees}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Conger, Matthew}} Category:1978 births Category:Living people Category:New Zealand association football referees Category:A-League Men referees Category:New Zealand schoolteachers Category:2018 FIFA World Cup referees Category:2022 FIFA World Cup referees Category:Football referees at the 2016 Summer Olympics Category:Major League Soccer referees Category:Football referees at the 2020 Summer Olympics