July 20, 2026 – The 2026 FIFA World Cup Trophy has been lifted by new champion Spain, bringing to a close a month-long celebration of “the beautiful game” that has captivated fans in the United States and around the globe. While the world’s attention has been centered on soccer’s biggest stage, it also served as a reminder within the Cobb School District that one of our own once participated on that same stage, not as a player, but as one of the sport’s elite referees entrusted with officiating the world’s premier sporting event.

Corey Rockwell, a 1992 graduate of McEachern High School from the Still Elementary and Tapp Middle School pipeline, reached the highest level of international officiating, earning the opportunity to serve as an Assistant Referee during the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Cobb Sports recently caught up with Rockwell to reflect on his amazing journey, unforgettable career moments, and the path that began in Cobb Schools.

Question: What are some of your favorite memories from your days at McEachern HS? What during this time prepared you for the path that became your career?

Answer: My favorite memories, in addition to being on the soccer team, were involvement with student government, the math team, cross-country, and Beta Club, among other activities. All this together helped shape my joy in competition, athletics, and leadership. Mr. Ralph Williams, the principal at the time, plus the teachers and coaches I had while at McEachern, emphasized discipline and leadership in a positive way. So, putting all this together, it helped prepare me for college, as I went on to study Engineering at Georgia Tech, and it helped me on the soccer field, officiating at the highest level in the world. Also, family support has helped, as my mom and dad came to as many games as possible when I was refereeing. Even to this day, my mom has probably watched close to 1000 of my high school, college, international, and professional games.

Question: Most young athletes dream of playing in the FIFA World Cup, but you reached the tournament in a different, and equally remarkable, way. When did you first realize officiating could take you around the world?

Answer: I started small with regional youth tournaments, traveling all over the Southeast while I was still in college. I did very well at those tournaments and started getting invitations to referee all over the East Coast as a college referee for the ACC and SEC. This branched out into me being flown across the country to referee games. While far from perfect in my refereeing, I received positive feedback from coaches, players, and referee assessors. In 2005, I had my first professional game in Major League Soccer (MLS), and from there, my soccer career took off. I made the FIFA list of referees, which represented the Top 50 referees out of over 100,000 certified officials in the United States. From there, I refereed soccer in over 14 countries, including Russia, Italy, Trinidad & Tobago, Qatar, Ireland, and all over Central America.

Question: As you said, you ultimately earned the opportunity to officiate at the highest level of international soccer. What was it like to step onto the field for your first FIFA World Cup match, and what emotions do you remember most?

Answer: The lead-up and “interview” process to become a referee for the World Cup takes about two years. So, to learn that I made the World Cup referee list in 2018 was exhilarating. But then, once I became a World Cup referee, there was no guarantee on the number of games I would be assigned or even if I would be on the field. There is a series of video, field, and fitness tests that the referees continue to go through in the weeks prior to the kickoff of the World Cup. Finally, about 21 days after I arrived in Russia, it was announced that I would be getting an on-field assignment for Belgium versus Tunisia. It was an overwhelming feeling to hear my name called and to be congratulated by referees all over the world on this assignment.

Once I stepped onto the field for the game, I first just took the time to soak in the atmosphere. Our crew warmed up about an hour before kickoff, and the stadium was already packed with fans. It was so loud, I couldn’t talk in a normal voice to my referee crew. Then, it was time to hit the field for kickoff, and I kept telling myself, “Just perform, give 100% with no regrets, and do all the things that got me here.” The game was highly entertaining with seven goals scored. The whole referee crew performed very well, and this led to additional assignments. In total, I had five assignments at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and reached the quarterfinals for the World Cup.

Question: If you could tell today's soccer fans one story about a player you officiated, one that captures what made that player special, which story would you choose?

Answer: I have two stories. 

David Beckham came into MLS at a time when the MLS was struggling and really helped put our league on the global map. I refereed him dozens of times. I remember in 2011, I won the “Assistant Referee of the Year” award in MLS, and he walked through a crowd to seek me out and shake my hand to say, “Congratulations, Corey.” I’ve then run into him a few more times, and even last year in Miami, where he is part of the ownership group, he saw me walking the field before my game, called me by name, and asked how I was doing.

Two other people – they’re twins, so I’ll put them together and are less well known but just as important – would have to be Nancy Augustyniak Goffi and her twin, Julie Augustyniak. These two players show how special and tight the soccer community is. I met them and started refereeing them when they were in high school at McIntosh High School. Then I refereed them in college at Clemson, as professionals with the Atlanta Beat, as coaches in the SEC, and even as announcers for games I have refereed. We remain friends to this day and never expected that we would continue to share the soccer field together over 30-plus years of our soccer careers overlapping.

Question: Throughout your career, you worked in some of the biggest stadiums and under tremendous pressure. What lessons did officiating teach you about leadership, decision-making, and handling pressure?

Answer: Whether the game is a World Cup game, an MLS final, a match with a crowd of 100,000, or just a local soccer game with a few dozen parents in the stands, preparation is key to all of them. Each game has special importance. I ensure I am mentally and physically prepared for every game, whether the game is internationally televised or if there is no TV available.

With mental preparation – studying the teams and players, knowing who the coaches are, knowing the records of the teams, etcetera – this helps reduce the impact of pressure, as the more confident I can be going into a game, the less pressure becomes a factor.

There are many parallels with decision-making and thinking fast, both on the soccer field, in the classroom (as I went on to get my MBA from Arizona State), and in the workplace (as I am currently a Vice President with Red Lobster). I still make mistakes after 36 years of refereeing, but I try to learn from my mistakes and not repeat them. This is the same in the classroom and workplace. We may not make the right decision, but if we can learn from these mistakes, this can be more valuable and lead to more growth as a person.

Question: When you look back on your career, is there a particular match, moment, or accomplishment that stands out as especially meaningful?

Answer: I have been so fortunate to have numerous memorable games, with 36 years as a certified referee, 21 years as an MLS referee, and 17 years as a FIFA referee. In fact, recently, I refereed my 468th MLS game. No other referee has more than 400 MLS games. And with over 100 international games, it would be hard to pick just one. As mentioned previously, some of my mistakes stand out as meaningful because I remember sleepless nights replaying the call and the incident over and over after the game and wishing I could turn back the clock to correct my mistake. But my first international game was especially memorable. It was a World Cup qualifying game between Mexico and Jamaica, and I was set to fly to Jamaica. However, a hurricane came through, and the game was moved from Jamaica to Mexico City at one of the most famous stadiums in the world: Estadio Azteca. The game had 100,000 spectators, and the atmosphere was amazing, louder than a jet engine. Mexico won the game 3-0 in an exciting game. After the game, the local referees in Mexico City treated the all-American referee crew to a full feast, with a large pig roast and the best in local Mexican cuisine. After completing that game in that atmosphere, I knew I could referee on any stage in the world.

Question: What advice would you give to today's Cobb Schools students, whether they dream of competing on the world stage, officiating, or simply pursuing a passion that seems out of reach?

Answer: When I first started out, I refereed at Tramore Park in Austell, Compton Elementary, Tapp Middle School, and any place that had a soccer field in Cobb County. That built dreams of refereeing high school, and I’ll never forget stepping onto the fields at Pope and Walton, and other Cobb County schools for the first time in front of bigger and bigger crowds. Then that led to refereeing several state championships in Georgia, 11 NCAA Final Fours, two MLS Finals, and many other significant games, including a World Cup. But it took patience to get to these stages. I did not step onto an MLS field until I was a referee for 15 years. For a while, I had the record for most games refereed without doing a final. Finally, after 29 years of refereeing, I accomplished my first MLS Cup Final. My dreams didn’t happen overnight. They took time, commitment, and strong preparation. My goals changed along the way, and I adjusted based on my abilities. I was unable to accomplish some of my dreams fully; for example, I never refereed at the Olympics, but that is okay as well. My career is coming to an end, but what an amazing ride it has been. The journey and the pathway toward my dreams and goals led me to amazing places, from the fields of Hollydale and Still Elementary to McEachern and all the way across the globe, including 39 days at the World Cup in Russia. 

Rockwell is World Class

Rockwell’s outstanding officiating career has included major tournaments for the NCAA, MLS, and FIFA. He has manned the sidelines for high-level finals around the world and has successfully served as an MLS Assistant Referee for more than two decades. He was twice voted the MLS Assistant Referee of the Year (2011, 2022). 

Rockwell is proof that the talent that comes from Cobb Schools athletics are Built For Beyond and can be found all over the world and throughout the sports landscape. 

h/t photos provided by Corey Rockwell, NISOA, and US Soccer