Andrea Colombo, born on October 5, 1990 in Como, Italy, is an Italian football referee. His interest in refereeing began in 2006, inspired by his cousin Raffaele Colombo, an international water polo referee, who suggested he explore this facet of the sport.
After completing three seasons in Serie D, Colombo was promoted to Serie C in the 2017-2018 season, debuting on September 10, 2017 in the match between Ravenna and Triestina. His performance led him to be promoted to the National Referees Commission (CAN) for categories A and B in the 2021-2022 season. His Serie B debut took place on August 29, 2021, refereeing the match between Parma and Benevento, while his first match in Serie A was on December 2 of the same year, in the 2-2 draw between Torino and Empoli.
Internationally, Colombo was included in the list of FIFA referees in 2024, allowing him to officiate international matches. His first international match was on October 10, 2024, in a UEFA Nations League match between England and Greece, held at Wembley Stadium. In January 2025, he participated in the South American Under-20 Championship in Venezuela, officiating five matches as part of a collaboration between UEFA and CONMEBOL.
In addition to his career in refereeing, Colombo studied at the Alessandro Volta Classical Lyceum and began studying Law at the University of Insubria, although he did not complete it to focus on refereeing. Concurrently, he has worked as a journalist and currently works in the communications department for a Swiss IT company in Chiasso.
In his personal life, he is married to Petra, who understands the demands of his profession and supports him in his refereeing career. Interestingly, his grandmother Franca, although not a football fan, follows his matches and prefers to discuss other topics with him, as she is more knowledgeable about boxing.
Italy
