Dr. Jessica Miranda with AFC and QFA Referees Committees chairman Hani Taleb Ballan.
Doha: Dr. Jessica Miranda, Head of Psychology at FIFA, addressed Qatar’s elite referees on managing stress and maintaining focus during matches at the Qatar Football Association’s (QFA) pre-season training camp at the InterContinental Hotel Doha on Wednesday.
Dr. Miranda explained how the body and mind respond to competitive pressure and outlined methods to manage stress, improve concentration, support recovery and enhance decision-making during matches.
She also highlighted the importance of balancing psychological, physiological and physical factors to achieve peak performance and remain focused in high-pressure situations.
Dr. Miranda, who describes Qatar as her second home has previously worked at Aspire Academy for five years, a period she considers a significant professional experience.
Her participation in the Qatari elite referees' camp stems from her extensive experience in international referee training.
She has previously overseen the physiological aspects of referees for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, as well as those for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, and will also be involved with referees for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
