Top News

Group L action kicks off tonight as England face Croatia at the Dallas Stadium.

Both teams are widely regarded as favourites to top the group, making the result of this England vs Croatia encounter pivotal in shaping their respective journeys in the tournament.

The match officials for this highly anticipated clash have been confirmed. Here’s a detailed look at who will be in charge of officiating duties for England vs Croatia, along with the rest of the support team on the sidelines and in the VAR booth.

The referee for England vs Croatia is Clement Turpin.

The French official has been operating at the elite level since 2010 and has previously taken charge of major fixtures, including the 2021 UEFA Europa League Final, the 2022 UEFA Champions League Final, and matches at Euro 2024.

Turpin has spent the majority of his officiating career in France, having overseen more than 300 Ligue 1 matches. He has also refereed 62 UEFA Champions League fixtures and five FIFA World Cup matches prior to this encounter.

Known for his balanced approach, Turpin is generally considered a fair and composed referee. While he is not hesitant to issue a yellow card when necessary, he is far from being overly strict or impulsive in his decisions.

Across his 430-game career, Turpin has handed out an average of 3.32 yellow cards per match. His red card figures remain modest, averaging just 0.27 per game, amounting to a total of 117 dismissals.

Over the past year, he has awarded seven penalties in 31 games — a relatively high frequency that highlights his confidence in making decisive calls in crucial moments.

Supporting Turpin on the touchline will be fellow French officials Nicolas Danos and Benjamin Pagès, who serve as his assistant referees for the evening.

For this World Cup 2026 fixture, Mexican official Katia Itzel García has been appointed as the fourth official, with fellow countrywoman Sandra Ramírez designated as the reserve assistant referee, ready to step in if required.

In the VAR booth at Dallas Stadium will be Jérôme Brisard, also from France, assisted by Willy Delajod. Additionally, Swiss referee Fedayi San will be part of the VAR support team to ensure smooth video review operations throughout the match.