Top News

The referee’s role in the World Cup final is one of the most crucial in football, and all eyes are on who will be chosen to officiate the biggest match of them all.

The World Cup final stands as the pinnacle of football competition. Every move, every whistle blow, and every decision will be dissected in detail, making it essential for FIFA to appoint the correct set of match officials.

With only a few days remaining before the final, speculation continues to grow over who might be handed this prestigious responsibility.

One thing is certain—neither Michael Oliver nor Anthony Taylor will take charge of the final, even if England do not qualify. Both English referees are prohibited from officiating matches involving England, and they are also barred from handling Argentina’s fixtures due to lingering sensitivities connected to the 1982 Falklands War.

It is also improbable that Ivan Barton will be selected, as he is already officiating the first semi-final between France and Spain. The Salvadoran referee has overseen three matches in this tournament so far, including Turkey’s clash with Paraguay, where he controversially sent off Miguel Almiron for covering his mouth during an exchange with Mert Muldur.

FIFA has aimed to maintain confederation neutrality throughout the competition. Where teams from different confederations meet, officials are typically appointed from a third confederation to avoid bias. This policy has only been breached once, when Argentina (from CONMEBOL) faced Switzerland (from UEFA), and Portuguese referee Joao Pinheiro was in charge.

When England played Croatia and Norway, the referee was Clement Turpin, who also hails from Europe. However, because both teams were European, this was not considered a conflict.

So, who are the leading candidates to oversee the final?

Polish referee Szymon Marciniak, who officiated the 2022 World Cup final, could make history by becoming the first person to referee two finals. In 2022, he awarded three penalties—one to Argentina and two to France—and has already taken charge of several matches in this tournament, including Argentina’s group-stage game against Algeria, where he decided not to send off Lionel Messi. In 2023, Marciniak also refereed both the UEFA Champions League final and the FIFA Club World Cup final. He would likely be a strong candidate if the final features England against France or Spain, aligning with FIFA’s neutrality guidelines.

Another prominent name is Alireza Faghani. English supporters will remember him for sending off Jarell Quansah in England’s dramatic victory over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium. Faghani has already officiated some of this summer’s high-profile matches, such as France vs Senegal, Colombia vs Portugal, and England vs Mexico. In the France vs Senegal match, he drew attention by refusing to award a penalty for a challenge on Kylian Mbappe, even after a recommendation for review by the VAR team and checking the replay himself. FIFA may interpret this as a sign of confidence and composure, positioning him as a serious contender for the final on 19 July.

Ismail Elfath is another candidate in the mix. The American referee has officiated three matches at the 2026 World Cup, including Japan vs Netherlands, Uruguay vs Spain, and Brazil vs Norway. In the Brazil vs Norway match, he awarded two penalties to the Brazilian side, with Bruno Guimaraes missing the first. Elfath also sent off Agustin Canobbio during extra time in Uruguay’s loss to Spain, which saw the South Americans exit the tournament in the group stage.

If England reach the final and Clement Turpin is appointed, there will undoubtedly be renewed discussion about Thomas Tuchel’s previous criticism of him. Following a 2023 clash between Bayern Munich and Manchester City, Tuchel remarked, “I’d give him a one out of 10. He was absolutely terrible,” after being sent off by Turpin during that match. Despite such remarks, Turpin brings significant experience, having officiated both the UEFA Europa League and Champions League finals. Football fans also enjoy pointing out his resemblance to Arsenal and Belgium’s Leandro Trossard—though it’s safe to say they are not related.