Charles Van Veegaete (22 December 1877 – 1956) was a Belgian international referee^[1] who was a co-founder, president, and patron of US Tourquennoise, whose stadium now bears his name.^[2][3] He is the author of one of the first books on refereeing, L'Arbitre, the first edition of which appeared in the mid-1950s.^[1][4]

In 1898, Van de Veegaete participated in the creation of the US Tourquennoise (UST), where he was captain of the first team until 1904, when he retired.^[2] In 1910, he became the club's president, a position that he held for two years, when he was replaced by fellow UST co-founder Achille Beltette.^[2][3] In 1913, he was serving as the Secretary of the Football Commission of UST,^[5] and he remained an active part of the club until as late as 1923, when the local press stated that "Charles Vandeveegaete, the excellent referee from the North, who has been, for about twenty-five years, the driving force, the very soul of the Union Sportive Tourquennoise".^[6] His affection for the club was such that he only reluctantly attended the matches played by his protégés, and when they were in difficulty, "he looks away, so strong is his emotion".^[6]

Van de Veegaete also worked as a sports journalist, writing articles for northerners newspapers, including one about the final of the 1913 USFSA Northern Championship between UST and Olympique Lillois, which ended in a 2–0 win to the latter, but even though it was his club that lost, he showed great sportsmanship by wished good luck to OL and for them to bring the French Cup back to the North.^[5]

In 1905, Van de Veegaete became a referee, and joined the Regional Arbitration Commission of the North.^[2] He officiated for more than 20 years,^[2] but he is especially recognized in the world of football for having written one of the first treatises on refereeing, such as L'Arbitre.^[4][7]

Van Veegaete was named a knight of the Legion of Honour in 1949.^[8] He died in 1956, at the age of either 68 or 69.^[4]

The stadium of Tourquennoise US now bears his name.^[2][3][9]

• L'Arbitre (1956)^[7]
• Le football et ses règles
• L'arbitre de football: 463 questions et réponses sur les 17 lois du jeu avec 42 diagrammes de hors-jeu / L'art de se placer et de se déplacer / Quelques conseils à l'arbitre ("The football referee: 463 questions and answers on the 17 laws of the game with 42 offside diagrams / The art of positioning and moving / Some advice for the referee").^[1]