The Italian referee has been assigned to the last act of the competition, the final between Argentina and Morocco.
He will be assisted by his countrymen Daniele Bindoni and Alberto Tegoni, while US referee Joseph Dickerson will be fourth official with Video Support duties.
ARGENTINA - MOROCCO
Referee: Maurizio Mariani ITA
Assistant Referee 1: Daniele Bindoni ITA
Assistant Referee 2: Alberto Tegoni ITA
Fourth Official: Joseph Dickerson USA
Reserve Assistant Referee: Logan Brown USA
The Third Place Final Colombia - France will be officiated by Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, with Saudi fourth official Khalid Al Turais.
18 October 2025, 21:00 CET
COLOMBIA - FRANCE
Referee: Omar Abdulkadir Artan SOM
Assistant Referee 1: Gilbert Cheruiyot KEN
Assistant Referee 2: Abelmiro Montenegro STP
Fourth Official: Khalid Al Turais KSA
Reserve Assistant Referee: Mohammed Al Abakry KSA
COLOMBIA - FRANCE
Referee: Omar Abdulkadir Artan SOM
Assistant Referee 1: Gilbert Cheruiyot KEN
Assistant Referee 2: Abelmiro Montenegro STP
Fourth Official: Khalid Al Turais KSA
Reserve Assistant Referee: Mohammed Al Abakry KSA
Fun fact: Nyberg did ARGNIG in R16 last U-20WC and then he got the final…the same with Mariani this season ;).
ReplyDeleteAnd another fun fact: Tejera and Pinherio were the SF referees last U-17WC in Indonesia (Pinheiro did ARG and Tejera had FRA too) ;)
DeleteItalian referees and Argentina a very long story of officiating.
DeleteAnd if not possible in "major" World Cup, you have this one. :)
Now Mariani has surely the ticket for the US competition, and Guida can be disappointed. He had stated, shortly after EURO, that he wanted to reach the WC as maybe last goal. No chances but maybe now UEFA will find a way to compensate him?
About the third-place final, it's a very classic assignment for a good CAF crew, as we used to see in the past, though it had become a bit rarer in recent times.
Why is that not possible? Wh had Rizzoli in 2014 with Argentina...
DeleteI was not clear, I meant in this case for the quality of Italian referees, not the same of that time, it looks unlikely to have an Italian referee handling Argentina in a big game at "real" WC, so this rather happens now :) But of course, everything is possible, you are right!
DeleteAh, now I understand it and i fully agree with you then.
DeleteHappy for Artan! I hope he delivers
ReplyDeleteAs we expected
ReplyDeleteI think fifa admire the performance of mariani and pinheiro this is indicator that they will be is usa next summer for sure they deserve that
ReplyDeleteDo we expect the final WC list in March? If I’m not wrong, the one for Russia was released in that month (Qatar’s was on May but obviously everything was different)
ReplyDeleteOr maybe Arbitro Internacional will have the “pleasure” to give us the names in December? Like they did with the WWC ;)
Predictions for UEFA referees for World Cup?
ReplyDeleteEskas, Kovacs, Letexier, Makkelie, Marciniak, Mariani, Nyberg, Oliver, Peljto, Sanchez, Schärer, Taylor, Turpin, Vincic, Zwayer
DeleteFirst alternative: Pinheiro
Second alternative: Siebert
Outside chances: Gil Manzano, Meler
Anyone else would be a big surprise at the moment.
I think, 15 is a reasonable number in this extended World Cup (also with bigger travel distances than last time).
My guess would be something like 15 UEFA, 9 CONMEBOL, 3*6 from the other confeds + 1 OFC, so around 43 referees in total.
Arbitro Internacional revealed the number of referees per confederation a long time ago, I can’t remember exactly but I think they said 12 spots for UEFA and 1 reserve.
DeleteBut let me check again.
if it's 12 spots, it's gonna be a huge battle for some spots ..
DeleteCroatian league
ReplyDeleteLast matdhday (of course, played the week before last) the refereeing was talked about the most in the match in which one of the competitors in the fight for the title was defeated. Several situations are doubtful, I am interested in this one.
The main referee did not award anything. After a call from the Var room and OFR - a changes the decision to a penalty kick. Is it the right decision or should the goalkeeper have received a yellow card? Are there elements for a red card?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QcEvVVmIwXM
What I heard... UEFA 13 +1F.O., CONMEBOL 7 +1.F.O., CONCACAF 6+1F.O., AFC and CAF both 5+1.F.O. and about the ref. from NZ not clear yet, if he gets 1 or 2 matches (I hope that!) or again F. O. only...
ReplyDeleteAnd the so called F. O. Even for replacements, if needed.
DeleteMilan Mihajlovic assistent referee from Srdjan Jovanovic team lost FIFA badge. He will be replaced by Nikola Antic on the list.
ReplyDeleteMariani's assignment for final match was fully expected especially after the appointment of semifinal match and the fact that no Uefa team are in the match. But I guess that it is deserved and not a preferred bias toward Italy.
ReplyDeleteSo, he gain a place also for WC 26 in North America; but considering 72 group stage matches I guess that at least 36 referees are mandatory increasing the number of selected ones from Uefa: Mariani, Sanchez Martinez, Turpin, Letexier, Oliver, Taylor, Eskas, Nyberg, Marciniak, Makkelie, Zwayer, Vincic, Peljto, Kovacs are sure bet. I would say also Sharer, Pinheiro, Siebert and Guida
https://x.com/ArbitroInteBlog/status/1635634399415869446
ReplyDeleteIf nothing has changed, it's 12+1 in UEFA. I think many people here are going to be surprised by a few names that don't make it. For awhile, a core group of 9 has seemed quite obvious:
Oliver
Taylor
Turpin
Letexier
Marciniak
Vincic
Nyberg
Kovacs
Zwayer (Siebert hasn't gone to any FIFA events--not sure how he'd be viable even if he's performing better in UEFA)
It seems like Mariani must go now, so that's 10
A Spaniard is required? If so, that's 11. If not, you have some wiggle room.
That 12th spot seems a fight among Makkelie, Pinheiro, Eskas, Peljto and Scharer, if healthy. History and pedigree would say Makkelie has the upper hand but his career has been weird of late, so who knows.
I would be surprised if there were not again unexpected nominations. FIFA and UEFA do not always come to the same assessments. Based on the past season, where Anthony Taylor only appeared four times in the Champions League (compared to ten by Slavko Vincic), and not a single one in the knockout phase, one could question whether England will actually provide two referees. Although we know that he is only partially assignable: if you strictly add up the number of matches in the Champions League, there were 20 colleagues last season who surpassed him.
DeleteMaybe Taylor is in a similar boat to Makkelie. On paper, they both got KO matches at CWC so it seems like they are still well within FIFA's good graces. I put Taylor in and Makkelie on the outer edges based almost purely on personality, so that could be a bias on my part.
DeleteI agree that IF there is a surprise, it would be Taylor not going. But it would still be a surprise. I really think everything else is pretty close to locked in. The only real big question is whether or not Spain *must* get a referee at the World Cup. I don't think they deserve it, frankly. And England missed out in 2018 so there is precedent. If Spain gets omitted then I think you can have a list of 12 that is almost exclusively on merit. If Spain gets included, then at least one deserving referee is going to miss out.
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DeleteI think on paper if you look at Nyberg's FIFA assignments and consider Makkelie's disposition in the referee community generally plus his performance in Qatar, it's easy to justify Nyberg over Makkelie in FIFA's eyes.
DeleteYes, Makkelie had the KO match at CWC where Nyberg didn't. But I think there were other factors at work there. Nyberg has had the U20 final and Olympic semi this cycle. There will ultimately be 7 FIFA men's tournaments between WC22 and WC26; Nyberg has had a semi or better on two and might on a third (Arab Cup). And he'll have attended 4 out of 7. That is a LOT of attention from FIFA. I don't think any other referee has had that much FIFA exposure.
Nyberg seems very safe to me. I recognize that's not likely consistent with his UEFA standing. But as we all acknowledge, UEFA and FIFA can be different. Nyberg's standing with FIFA has been quiet, but it's glaring once you look for it.
And as for Mariani, yes. You can't overlook him. Italian influence and politics obviously played a major role, but it is what it is. Perhaps noteworthy that Rosetti had a similar meteoric rise for 2006 after De Santis was scuttled; he had never done a CL KO match when he went to the WC in Germany.
Spain is the big question now.
Along the same lines, if we are looking for #12 in UEFA, Pinheiro having two semifinals in the two FIFA youth events he's gone to cannot be overlooked.
DeleteMany of those things come down to the question, how much the (recent) achievements on UEFA level count compared to FIFA tournaments.
DeleteWe have Makkelie, Taylor and Nyberg with a disappointing KO stage last season (and no especially good start to the new one either). But Makkelie and Taylor have WC experience and had a good CWC. Nyberg also seems to be considered highly by FIFA although he didn't achieve much at the CWC.
On the other side we have Kovacs and Sanchez with quite good UEFA appointments recently, but no success at FIFA events.
Schärer and Peljto also rather fall into this category. Yes, Peljto got the U20 QF, but that is less than Pinheiro and Mariani - and he hasn't been at the CWC.
Pinheiro is a bit special, because he had the Supercup, but he is the only candidate without CL QF so far (if I don't miss something) and didn't get CL on MD1. So unclear, how highly he really is rated. Looking at his FIFA achievements, he probably rather belongs in the Makkelie/Taylor category.
I wouldn't see Eskas much behind Nyberg. He had a good Olympic tournament and the U17 WC final and a CL QF last season. So this should at least balance the unsuccessful CWC.
I hope, that all these borderline candidates (at least the healthy ones) will be used in challenging CL games in the next weeks. And of course, in the decisive WCQ games. This should help with the selection process.
And coming back to the numbers:
It surprises me, that the UEFA number is supposed to grow relatively less than the others. It's more or less +2 referees for all confederations except OFC compared to 2022, if AI is correct. So that's +50% for some, while only +20% for UEFA.
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Delete@usaref cmiiw I think you forgot Siebert lead the final of the first edition of FIFA Arab Cup in 2021 as the preparation tournament of WC22, even there was Marciniak.
DeleteI think that referees whom FIFA disliked and made technical criticisms of at the previous World Cup, such as Claus and Siebert, have no chance to be selected.
DeleteIn my opinion I don't eskes and nyberg and vincic and taylor and kovacs would be 2026 because they don't deserve never to chose world cup referees
ReplyDeleteWell, I won't give many arguments because I think everything has been said, but it's completely incredible that some think that Makkelie won't attend WC, it's even funny ;)...
ReplyDeleteAnyways, following the argument that there will be 12 referees + 1 support (which I think would be unfair), having taken into account their previous actions and status I would say:
-Marciniak
-Vincic
-Letexier
-Turpin
-Oliver
-Kovacs
-Makkelie
-Nyberg
-Sánchez Martinez
-Mariani
-Peljto
-Zwayer
Support: Eskås
It has NOTHING to do with age, but I think Taylor with his CWC QF was the "maximum" he could have achieved in FIFA and a kind of farewell/compensation... Of course, with his experience he would be a good name for WC, only that I would prefer to leave him aside to make way for Peljto/Eskas…We’ll see
But if we want to include him, he could perfectly take the place of SM.
But I don't think the Spaniard is off the list...
And I forgot to add, Schärer may have made a Super Cup, the Nations League final... but he didn't have the luck to be healthy to show himself in a FIFA tournament, so I think he has no chance... I'm sorry for him, he's a great referee.
DeleteSiebert and Gil Manzano with 0 chances. Pinheiro could be, his two SFs support him, the maximum he could aspire to is, IMO, support.
Finally the decision of chose is the hand of colina so let wait
DeleteTaking the Andrasch slot allocations as a suppositional template plus US geography considerations (more reserves needed), I would suggest the following:
DeleteUEFA: Eskas, Kovacs, Letexier, Mariani, Marciniak, Nyberg, Oliver, Pinheiro, Sanchez, Taylor¹, Turpin, Vincic, Zwayer; (Peljto).
CONMEBOL: Abatti, Falcon, Garay, Sampaio, Tejera, Tello, Valenzuela; (Benitez).
AFC: Al-Turais, Tantashev, Faghani, Fallahi, Makhadmeh²; (Ma, Nasaruddin).
CAF: Amin, Atcho³, Beida, Ghorbal, Jayed; (Artan⁴, Ismail).
CONCACAF: Barton, Elfath⁷, Fischer, S.Martinez⁵, Ramos, Penso⁵; (K.Garcia, Nation).
OFC: Kawana; (Aukwai).
¹ in danger of being overtaken by Scharer, but the Swiss suffered too many injuries
² in battle with Al-Kaf, Omani ignores too many clear YCs imo
³ all WCs since 1970 have a sub-Saharan, I prefer Sy but proximity to masseur-gate has apparently harmed him and it seems FIFA move on to Atcho
⁴ despite being a hero for CAF (see fe here), my feeling is that FIFA don’t like him so much
⁵ ideal scenario is Penso out (confederation ‘TOKENISM’), and Calderon/Martinez in but realistically the two are fighting each other for slot no6
⁶ remember, a) UEFA and non-UEFA are not the same, and, b) many things can happen (eg Kassai’s 2018 odds before botching Real-Bayern)
⁷ lastly, I predict that this referee will be appointed to the WC2026 final
IMO Mahmood Ismail after his AR annulled onside goal from Cape Verde (even Cape Verde at the end qualified) still left bitterness. I couldn't believe if "Scandinavian" could get 2 referee teams (Nyberg-Eskas) rather than England (Oliver-Taylor). The last cmiiw in AFC there is unwritten law about proportional representative from each region (West and East), with Faghani from Australia-Iran, I think they still need another "eastern" like Ma Ning rather than more younger referee like Makhadmeh, Turais, or Al Kaf. I agree that it would be no surprise if Elfath will be given a shielded road since the beginning.
DeleteBut to Mikael, Who will be your 2nd choice/runner-up to Elfath that wouldn't be 4th official in the final/maybe SF like Orsato/Cakir.
I couldn't imagine if Ma Ning again for the 3rd time (WC22 and CWC25) selected only as FO, with ACL final and Asian Cup final on his palmares, even with all controversies surround it and all negativity, still you couldn't left him behind "a new names" like Turais, Makhadmeh (ACL final), Al Kaf (ACL final), right? :)) IMO it's better for him to not be selected then.
Delete@Mikael for Africa, I would prefer Sy over Atcho for sure, but more importantly, you seem to have forgotten Ndala who is better than both. I hope Artan gets in as well.
DeleteMy prediction is that there will be no Spanish referees as main referees in the USA next year. Believe it or not, as usaref said, we have a precedent in Russia. Italy too huge to missed it just impossible and with Mariani, 43 yo, WCU20 final, even with all political theatrical around it or whatever still with objectivity we can say he much better than Sanchez Martinez or Gil Manzano (not Gil Manzano that we know 2-3 years ago).
ReplyDeleteIt seems some on this forum believe that seasoned names like Taylor or Makkelie are on the chopping block, set to be replaced by younger, relatively inexperienced referees who, with all due respect, have primarily officiated FIFA youth tournaments. That’s quite a stretch.
ReplyDeleteIf the FIFA Club World Cup has shown anything, it’s that FIFA still relies on experienced, authoritative figures for certain high-stakes intercontinental clashes or high-profile quarterfinals. Consider the so-called “ugly” games—matches where potential finalists are unlikely to appear. Take Taylor’s assignment to PSG-Bayern, for example. Why? Because top referees are deliberately kept away from the riskiest matches to preserve them for potential finals. Or do some of you genuinely believe Mateu Lahoz was given Argentina-Netherlands in 2022 as a “finals audition”? Think again.
To be frank, I detect a fair amount of bias and “personal preference” in many of the comments here. You can say what you want about Taylor or Makkelie, and I completely agree they’re past their peak. But in a heated, high-pressure match—like a QF between emotional teams—they remain the ideal “joker” to play when the stakes are highest. Why? Because it gives FIFA the opportunity to protect a potential final referee, and Taylor and Makkelie have far less to lose than, let’s say, an Eskas or a Pinheiro.
I don't think it's bias. In fact, I've liked both Taylor and Makkelie through most of their careers. And I actually think both will still make it, though I'm a little less sure on Makkelie. Particularly if it's 13 spots and not 12, as there is now ambiguity over that point.
DeleteAll I'm saying is that of the core group, Makkelie is on the shakiest ground. When you factor in the Italian and possibly Spanish requirements, he's right on the border. Scharer's health and Eskas' performance in Qatar could both play a role in a final decision.
I think you're discounting how distinct FIFA's opinion can be from UEFA's. And, for that matter, UEFA's opinion has waned a bit recently, too. Yes, again, he got the CWC KO match. But what else at the FIFA level? Not a whole lot. You can dismiss Nyberg's performance at FIFA events as "youth" but there are only so many FIFA events and that's where a lot of opinions get formed and decisions get made.
Again, not saying Makkelie will definitely miss out. But I think he's in more danger than some people realize.
Yes, I agree with your final conclusion. If the selection were made tomorrow, both Taylor and Makkelie would be borderline candidates, leaning toward inclusion. However, their spots are not guaranteed—much can change in the coming months.
DeleteIn theory, UEFA could “get rid” of any borderline referee by assigning them to something they can’t handle.
Great analysis @Mikael, but IMO Calderon would take Nation's place as a support, I see the Jamaican last in the CONCACAF "ranking" for 2026.
ReplyDeleteRegarding Qatar, the truth is I don't see where Falahi can be in a WC, but we know a Qatari will be, my bet is on Al-Jassim.
Agree with @Andrei, Ma Ning should be selected as the main referee (if so) another as a reserve would be a complete joke.
And finally, IMO Ismail can take Atcho's place on this list. We'll have to see what Atcho offers (I've never seen a game of him) but so far it seems to me that Ismail is more of WC material.
Do not underestimate the geographic factions in CONCACAF. The Caribbean is a distinct political bloc. Yes, Calderon and Martinez are both better referees than Nation. By far. But I would bet that one gets picked as a referee and then Nation gets the reserve role. It's not a decision that will be based on merit.
Delete