The UEFA Referees Committee has today announced the referee team appointments for the 2026 UEFA club competition finals.
.jpg)
The appointments in chronological order of the dates the matches will be played:
2026 UEFA Europa League final refereeing team
Referee: François Letexier (France)
Assistants: Cyril Mugnier and Mehdi Rahmouni (both from France)
4th Official: Alejandro José Hernández Hernández (Spain)
Reserve AR: José Enrique Naranjo Pérez (Spain)
VAR: Jérôme Brisard (France)
Assistant VAR: Willy Delajod (France)
VAR Support: Dennis Higler (Netherlands)
François Letexier from France will referee the 2026 UEFA Europa League final between SC Freiburg and Aston Villa, to be played at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul, Türkiye, on Wednesday 20 May 2026 at 21:00 CEST (22:00 local time).
An international referee since 2017, the 37-year-old French has this season taken charge of eight UEFA Champions League matches – including the quarter-final return leg between Arsenal FC and Sporting CP. This will be his second UEFA competition final as a referee after having officiated Spain vs England in the UEFA EURO 2024 final. He also refereed the 2023 UEFA Super Cup between Manchester City and Sevilla FC, and was the fourth official of the 2024 UEFA Champions League final. He took charge of four matches at UEFA EURO 2024.
---
2026 UEFA Women’s Champions League final refereeing team
Referee: Tess Olofsson (Sweden)
Assistants: Almira Spahic (Sweden) and Monica Løkkeberg (Norway)
4th Official: Iuliana Demetrescu (Romania)
Reserve AR: Tilde Hedberg (Sweden)
VAR: Bram Van Driessche (Belgium)
Assistant VAR: Fedayi San (Switzerland)
VAR Support: Michael Fabbri (Italy)
The UEFA Referees Committee has also announced that Tess Olofsson from Sweden will referee the 2026 UEFA Women’s Champions League final between FC Barcelona and OL Lyonnes at the Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo, Norway on Saturday 23 May 2026 at 18:00 CEST (17:00 local time).
An international referee since 2015, the 38-year-old, from Sweden, will take charge of her first UEFA Women’s Champions League final after officiating last year’s semi-final second leg between Chelsea FC Women and FC Barcelona. This season, she has been taking charge of four UEFA Women’s Champions League matches, including the quarter-final return leg between FC Bayern München and Manchester United Women. She also officiated last year at the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 final tournament, including the quarter-final between France and Germany.
---
2026 UEFA Conference League final refereeing team
Referee: Maurizio Mariani (Italy)
Assistants: Daniele Bindoni and Alberto Tegoni (both from Italy)
4th Official: Glenn Nyberg (Sweden)
Reserve AR: Mahbod Beigi (Sweden)
VAR: Marco Di Bello (Italy)
Assistant VAR: Daniele Chiffi (Italy)
VAR Support: Ivan Bebek (Croatia)
The UEFA Referees Committee has revealed that Maurizio Mariani of Italy will referee the 2026 UEFA Conference League final between Crystal Palace FC and Rayo Vallecano de Madrid at Leipzig Stadium in Leipzig, Germany, on Wednesday 27 May 2026 at 21:00 CEST.
The 44-year-old has been an international referee since 2019 and will be taking charge of his first UEFA club competition final, after being fourth official at the UEFA Europa League final last year in Bilbao. This season he has officiated seven UEFA Champions League matches – including the quarter-final return leg between Liverpool FC and Paris Saint-Germain – and one UEFA Europa League match.
---
2026 UEFA Champions League final refereeing team
Referee: Daniel Siebert (Germany)
Assistants: Jan Seidel and Rafael Foltyn (both from Germany)
4th Official: Sandro Schärer (Switzerland)
Reserve AR: Guadalupe Porras Ayuso (Spain)
VAR: Bastian Dankert (Germany)
Assistant VAR: Robert Schröder (Germany)
VAR Support: Carlos Del Cerro Grande (Spain)
The UEFA Referees Committee has appointed Daniel Siebert from Germany to referee the 2026 UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal FC, which takes place at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary on Saturday 30 May 2026. Kick-off is at 18:00 CEST.
The 42-year-old, an international referee since 2015, will be officiating his first UEFA club competition final. He has refereed nine UEFA Champions League matches this season, including the quarter-final first leg between Sporting CP and Arsenal FC, and the semi-final second leg between Arsenal FC and Atlético de Madrid. He was also the referee of the 2025 UEFA Europa League semi-final between Manchester United and Athletic Club. He officiated two games at the UEFA EURO 2024 and three games at UEFA EURO 2020.
Sven Jablonski for DFB Pokal with VAR Storks
ReplyDeleteEnter
DeleteSiebert appointed CL final.
ReplyDeleteDaniel Siebert
ReplyDeleteJan Seidel
Rafael Foltyn
Sandro Schärer
VA: Bastian Dankert
AVAR: Robert Schröder
If the news about Daniel Siebert are true, I will said just one thing- what is deserved, is deserved, and nobody can say that its not. Congrats to Daniel Siberet! Hope he will preform well
ReplyDeletehttps://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/02a5-20996c0c224b-a548ec519cbe-1000--referee-teams-for-2026-uefa-club-competition-finals-anno
DeleteCL Final: Siebert Fo: Scharer
ReplyDeleteEL Final: Letexier Fo: Hernández
ECL Final: Mariani Fo: Nyberg
Disgusted by Mariani's appointment.... means no one is being held accountable for the mess at Anfield in the QFs..... poor Nyberg deserved that game. Siebert and Letexier well deserved i must say, however Makkelie falls again :(
DeleteWhat mess are you talking about? There was a PK corrected by VAR and nothing more
Deletehttps://law5-theref.blogspot.com/2026/04/champions-league-202526-referee.html?showComment=1775410869146#c8558876798115286243
DeleteThe credibility factor which struck out Mariani, Zwayer and Scharer must also must have (probably rightly) eliminated Pinheiro's chance, too, given the Portuguese's inexperience. Though: complete absense of both he and Eskas after Bayern-PSG is noteworthy? 'Disgusted' is WAY, way too strong a term to describe Mariani's appointment, sorry.
I am disgusted... Glenn Nyberg deserves that game, 4O on that is an insult. What happened at Anfield was a mess and the common view on here was that one of Mariani (most likely) or Di Bello needed to be held accountable. Also there clearly was an issue because why was Pinheiro brought in last minute for the game in Munich when quite clearly Mariani was the original name. Farcical!
Delete+1 @A16 Nyberg deserved it way more than Mariani.
DeleteDefinitely, among potential names like Mariani, Pinheiro, or Schärer, Siebert is the one who deserves it the most. It’s confirmation that, at this moment, in UEFA’s eyes, Siebert is Germany’s number one referee. Even though he’s not on the list for the World Cup, this is certainly a major form of compensation. It’s a shame for Zwayer and this season, because it was the perfect opportunity for him to get his final.
ReplyDeleteIn any case, congratulations to Siebert and best of luck!
DFB confirms the appointment of team Siebert. I'm happy for him but it's also a rather wild situation that he gets the CL final but does not go to the WC. If I'm not mistaken, Terje Hauge was the last one with the same fate in 2006 (but like Siebert, he was part of the previous WC).
ReplyDeleteEven though he has been refereeing all the toughest big matches for years, Makkelie did not get the final, while excellent referees who are less talented and less experienced than him (Vincic, Kovacs, Siebert) were appointed. Is it possible that, regardless of the teams on the field and Makkelie’s performance, for reasons we don’t know, it’s impossible for the committee to assign the final to the Dutchman, just as it was impossible for Orsato to get the last World Cup final?
ReplyDeleteI feel sorry for Makkelie. After such a great season, it has happened again. It is probably because PSG are in the final or perhaps they will never appoint him to the final because of PSG. Who knows… In any case, congratulations to Siebert.
DeleteSomehow I feel confirmed in my point of view regarding which referees are suitable for which competitions: Daniel Siebert's appointment for the Champions League is understandable if you consider—aside from his form curve—that he was not nominated for the World Cup, whereas, for example, Alejandro (Hdz)² was. Francois Letexier officiates the 'highest possible' final with the Europa League, as he cannot be considered for the Champions League anyway due to PSG's presence. And Maurizio Mariani fits quite well into the picture I recently described, in which I see the Conference League as a competition for rising talents, while Sven Jablonski (an Elite Referee only since 2026) might be too young in terms of years of service.
ReplyDeletePeter, you always make me smile. The expression (Hdz)² is absolutely brilliant.
DeleteHard to see that Mariani would have got the ECL final if the chair of refcom had a different passport.
ReplyDeleteWith this conspiracy theory, Refcom could also have nominated him for the Champions League final. That would have been, purely 'arithmetically speaking,' even more elegant than appointing Daniel Siebert three times in a row in the quarterfinal, semifinal, and final for Arsenal London.
DeleteReceptivity to controversy eliminated Eskas and Pinheiro(?), at which point one could guess it was a runoff between Mariani and Nyberg, to which the appointments would argue in favour of the Italian. It would have been better though to switch the places of Mariani and Scharer from my pov, but I can imagine this option was ruled out by one member of the committee not wanting the Swiss to gain an excessive amount of credit before the World Cup starts (especially in an Sui-Esp-Esp crew!). Fully deserved appointment for Letexier, too.
DeleteAnyway, regret for Makkelie,but Im surre that he will have his chance in next two/three years.
ReplyDeleteThen, congratulations to Francios Letexier on Europa League final. Was more then deserved. Congrats also to Maurizio on the final, i expected Nyberg, but I strongley belive that he is contender for SuperCup.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame for Makkelie...
ReplyDeleteAn absolutely astonishing achievement for Daniel Siebert!
ReplyDeleteChapeau, sir.
I was personally fan of Makkelie,honest. But, I wrote after Arsenal Atletico Game that Siebert would be perfect option for PSG Arsenal final. And, also, If I need to comapre Danny And Sibert in SF performances, Siebert was better!
DeleteIt depends on how you look at it.
DeleteMakkelie showed the courage to make important decisions. In the semi-final, he awarded a penalty that was later overturned by the VAR because it was considered too soft. Siebert, on the other hand, chose not to award a penalty to Atlético Madrid and did not issue a red card for DOGSO, while the VAR remained silent.
Rosetti has often stated in interviews that he values referees with strong personalities who make decisions on the field rather than relying on the VAR. Yet in the latter stages of the competition, it sometimes appears that referees who avoid major decisions and leave the VAR out of the equation are preferred. This approach naturally leads to less controversy.
So Siebert is deemed to be not in the top 15 in Europe but still he gets the CL final. Weird appointment for me.
ReplyDeleteWhat is more interesting, besides the treatment of Makkelie by UEFA, is the appointment of Siebert to the final despite the fact that he was not selected by FIFA for the World Cup. This appears somewhat provocative.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that UEFA wanted to show solidarity with Siebert for not going to the World Cup and decided to send a message to FIFA and Collina with this appointment for the final in Budapest.
DeleteSiebert’s appointment is for me a bit unexpected considering he refereed a (2nd leg UCL semi-final). However, I cannot say it is undeserved because apart from “surviving” a bit in the last 15 mins of ARS-ATM, he absolutely had an astonishing season, which makes this appointment totally fair (all in all, I feel sorry for Makkelie, but his time will come).
ReplyDeleteLetexier’s appointment was quite predictable and deserved, although he did not have a spotless season (but who did?).
I predicted Mariani in UCL Final just for the absence of other names, on paper. By the way, I think this is a justified appointment for him, his European path is quite sensed. He did well, without being excellent, some mistakes of course but in general I like him as a referees, so I wouldn’t say this appointment is disgusting.
Congrats to all three teams!
So UCL final referee will not go to the WC, that's quite something imo. Great bounce back for him after hard times last couple of years. Really hard for Makkelie once again.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy for Siebert; I think he's a great referee and his season has been excellent. An old-school referee. In Spain, he was heavily criticized after the Arsenal-Atletico match. Of the possible options (excluding Makkelie due to PSG's presence), I think he's the best. Congratulations also to Letexier, Mariani, and Olofsson, and to some extent, to Scharer, HdezHdez, Nyberg, and Demetrescu.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that Eskas-Pinheiro's decision not to show the 2YC didn't sit well with Rosetti.
Équipe arbitrale de la finale de la Ligue des champions de l'UEFA 2026
ReplyDeleteArbitre : Daniel Siebert (Allemagne)
Assistants : Jan Seidel et Rafael Foltyn (tous deux originaires d'Allemagne)
4ème Officiel : Sandro Schärer (Suisse)
Réserve AR : Guadalupe Porras Ayuso (Espagne)
VAR : Bastian Dankert (Allemagne)
Assistant VAR : Robert Schröder (Allemagne)
Support VAR : Carlos Del Cerro Grande (Espagne)
2026 UEFA Europa League final refereeing team
ReplyDeleteReferee: François Letexier (France)
Assistants: Cyril Mugnier and Mehdi Rahmouni (both from France)
4th Official: Alejandro José Hernández Hernández (Spain)
Reserve AR: José Enrique Naranjo Pérez (Spain)
VAR: Jérôme Brisard (France)
Assistant VAR: Willy Delajod (France)
VAR Support: Dennis Higler (Netherlands)
François Letexier from France will referee the 2026 UEFA Europa League final between SC Freiburg and Aston Villa, to be played at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul, Türkiye, on Wednesday 20 May 2026 at 21:00 CEST (22:00 local time).
An international referee since 2017, the 37-year-old French has this season taken charge of eight UEFA Champions League matches – including the quarter-final return leg between Arsenal FC and Sporting CP. This will be his second UEFA competition final as a referee after having officiated Spain vs England in the UEFA EURO 2024 final. He also refereed the 2023 UEFA Super Cup between Manchester City and Sevilla FC, and was the fourth official of the 2024 UEFA Champions League final. He took charge of four matches at UEFA EURO 2024.
---
2026 UEFA Women’s Champions League final refereeing team
Referee: Tess Olofsson (Sweden)
Assistants: Almira Spahic (Sweden) and Monica Løkkeberg (Norway)
4th Official: Iuliana Demetrescu (Romania)
Reserve AR: Tilde Hedberg (Sweden)
VAR: Bram Van Driessche (Belgium)
Assistant VAR: Fedayi San (Switzerland)
VAR Support: Michael Fabbri (Italy)
The UEFA Referees Committee has also announced that Tess Olofsson from Sweden will referee the 2026 UEFA Women’s Champions League final between FC Barcelona and OL Lyonnes at the Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo, Norway on Saturday 23 May 2026 at 18:00 CEST (17:00 local time).
An international referee since 2015, the 38-year-old, from Sweden, will take charge of her first UEFA Women’s Champions League final after officiating last year’s semi-final second leg between Chelsea FC Women and FC Barcelona. This season, she has been taking charge of four UEFA Women’s Champions League matches, including the quarter-final return leg between FC Bayern München and Manchester United Women. She also officiated last year at the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 final tournament, including the quarter-final between France and Germany.
---
2026 UEFA Conference League final refereeing team
Referee: Maurizio Mariani (Italy)
Assistants: Daniele Bindoni and Alberto Tegoni (both from Italy)
4th Official: Glenn Nyberg (Sweden)
Reserve AR: Mahbod Beigi (Sweden)
VAR: Marco Di Bello (Italy)
Assistant VAR: Daniele Chiffi (Italy)
VAR Support: Ivan Bebek (Croatia)
The UEFA Referees Committee has revealed that Maurizio Mariani of Italy will referee the 2026 UEFA Conference League final between Crystal Palace FC and Rayo Vallecano de Madrid at Leipzig Stadium in Leipzig, Germany, on Wednesday 27 May 2026 at 21:00 CEST.
The 44-year-old has been an international referee since 2019 and will be taking charge of his first UEFA club competition final, after being fourth official at the UEFA Europa League final last year in Bilbao. This season he has officiated seven UEFA Champions League matches – including the quarter-final return leg between Liverpool FC and Paris Saint-Germain – and one UEFA Europa League match.
---
2026 UEFA Champions League final refereeing team
Referee: Daniel Siebert (Germany)
Assistants: Jan Seidel and Rafael Foltyn (both from Germany)
4th Official: Sandro Schärer (Switzerland)
Reserve AR: Guadalupe Porras Ayuso (Spain)
VAR: Bastian Dankert (Germany)
Assistant VAR: Robert Schröder (Germany)
VAR Support: Carlos Del Cerro Grande (Spain)
Équipe arbitrale de la finale de l'UEFA Europa League 2026
ReplyDeleteArbitre : François Letexier (France)
Assistants : Cyril Mugnier et Mehdi Rahmouni (tous deux français)
4ème Officiel : Alejandro José Hernández Hernández (Espagne)
Réserve AR : José Enrique Naranjo Pérez (Espagne)
VAR : Jérôme Brisard (France)
Assistant VAR : Willy Delajod (France)
Soutien VAR : Dennis Higler (Pays-Bas)
Équipe arbitrale de la finale de la Ligue Conférence UEFA 2026
ReplyDeleteArbitre : Maurizio Mariani (Italie)
Assistants : Daniele Bindoni et Alberto Tegoni (tous deux italiens)
4e officiel : Glenn Nyberg (Suède)
Réserve AR : Mahbod Beigi (Suède)
VAR : Marco Di Bello (Italie)
Assistant VAR : Daniele Chiffi (Italie)
Soutien VAR : Ivan Bebek (Croatie)
Congratulation to all referees !!!! This is an outstanding achievement in their carrier. Happy for Siebert but very disappointed for Makkelie; he would have fully deserved
ReplyDeleteI think this is a perfect game for Siebert, two teams who will be football focused shouldn’t be a problem for him. The way I see it is that the committee would have rather given the final to Makkelie hence the first leg appointment, his VAR failed him (imo) by calling him to the monitor for the eze penalty. If even the smallest of decisions goes against Arsenal they will allege bias given that it was the same ref that’s against them. Siebert on the other hand did quite well imo on the return leg in London which was the more difficult one of the 2. Unfortunate for Makkelie but god good uefa refereeing is in a bad spot right now with their #1 for the season not being selected for the WC
ReplyDeleteI agree with you overall, but I never like the argument that 'VAR failed him' - unless of course you are talking about a failed intervention, which is not the case.
DeleteReferees are absolutely within their right to be invited for an OFR and stick with their original decision. The issue is, it takes a level of courage that many referees do not have, least of all in a UCL SF.
I posed a similar question when Makkelie was appointed to the semifinal and would like to hear the thoughts of those who are more experts than I:
ReplyDeleteDoesn’t the conditional-upon-the-teams-involved nature of this appointment, and the fact that most of the semifinal referees were in contention for the Final if there were specific matchups, create a de facto conflict of interest for those referees? For example, let’s assume for a moment that everyone in UEFA more-or-less assumed that Oliver would be picked ahead of Siebert unless an English team was present in the Final. Siebert referred the second leg Arsenal vs Atletico. I’m not suggesting he did anything wrong in that game, but shouldn’t this situation (where a referee directly benefits from a certain result in his match) be strictly avoided by UEFA?
The three referees who officiated European competition finals last season (Peljto, Zwayer, and Kovacs) saw 2 out of 3 not officiate a CL knockout match this season. Peljto and Zwayer had seasons to forget, while Kovacs was involved in certain controversies. A clear example of how much things can change in just one season.
ReplyDeleteDeserved for Siebert, if we exclude added time in Arsenal Atletico,he has been consistent and great this all season.
ReplyDeleteFunny enough, ref who will handle CL Final is not going to the WC.
Based on the comments I’m reading the majority here think that Makkilie deserved to referee the CL final. He had one or two questionable situations of late but many think he didn’t get the gig because PSG are in the final. If that is the case then ref com members need to grow a pair. And what message does that send to referees when they next officiate PSG. DO NOT award anything controversial against them or it will be on your CV forever. Maybe it’s understandable now that Pinheiro was reluctant to issue the second YC, instead of finding another offence. That now seems to have backfired on him if the ref com have taken a dim view. What does a referee do?
ReplyDeleteOr maybe it's an exaggerated worry/issue and the actual reason he wasn't selected for the final was that his semifinal performance simply was not good enough. With other referees, having a poor showing, OFR's etc is a negative - but these things don't affect the Law5 Expert Group's shared assessment of Mr Makk - it's only about a conspiracy keeping him from the final. Evil PSG & Rosetti vs the poor Dutch.
DeleteSo glad you agree that that PSG and Roberto (ref com) are evil. You forgot cowardly though.
DeleteIs this the first time that CL final referee in WC year is not selected for the WC?
ReplyDeleteTerje Hauge in 2006
DeleteHelmut Krug in 1998
DeleteWhy does UEFA appreciate Siebert (but not Zwayer),
ReplyDeleteand FIFA appreciate Zwayer (but not Siebert)?!??
Ask Collina and Rosetti about it. If there isn't a good reason, believe me, it's just stubbornness.
DeleteThere are rumors that it is also due to how Siebert presented himself nationally after the last World Cup
DeleteAn absolutely disgusting and disgraceful appointment of Mariani a disgrace absolutely terrible. Get that so called head of referees out, it’s absolutely disgraceful.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Siebert and Letexier both very well deserved. Unfortunately Makkelie once again has missed out.
Delete+1
DeleteHugely deserved for Siebert. Crazy for Fifa to take him over Zwayer to the WC. Also, interesting observation. Scharer 4th with Spanish reserve AR. Does this confirm he could officiate at the WC with the spanish AR that he did PSG v Bayern? I hope so!
ReplyDeleteAs indicated above, PSG's influence is the reason that Makkelie, just as this was also the reason Nasser Al-Khelaïfi was never suspended for his outburst of rage in the referees' dressing room, makes me nauseous.
ReplyDeleteArsenal complained a lot about Makkelie too after the semi.
DeleteSiebert to UCL final is probably the biggest joke in refereeing i have ever seen, really. And i have seen a lot of jokes. I am just so fed up with stupid politics around refereeing.
ReplyDeleteCan I be honest with you?
DeleteIt's been embarrassing and shameful for both UEFA and FIFA to appoint a judge for a final and he won't be at the World Cup.
I see that Rosetti is waiting to see how Zwayer will perform at the World Cup. If he makes a mistake in any game, he'll use Siebert's performance (if he does well in Budapest) to throw it in Collina's face. That's exactly the impression one gets.
I'm sorry, I don't want to pass judgment on anyone, but German refereeing is becoming a laughingstock both for those representing the country in the World Cup and for those who will officiate the Champions League final in Budapest.
DeleteI agree Gref.
DeleteCool to see Porras involved in the final. Although Nevado will feel unlucky as he also missed out working as reserve AR in the 2023 conference final (When Manzano's old AR1 was chosen). Quite interesting that all 5 on-field officials for the CL final won't likely be on field at the WC (unless Scharer gets a game). EL and Conference Final teams not too surprising although Nyberg being the 4th official for the 2nd times in 3 years in the Conference League is quite strange.
ReplyDeleteDaniel Siebert with matches in all KO rounds of Champions League this season, very busy spring, last week was a referee Saudi Arabia Cup final 👏 good for him that totally free summer ahead 😉
ReplyDeleteI am shocked that it became normal for a referee to have the semifinal and the final. Almost nobody seems to disagree with this when in my opinion it is one of the most important rules to follow as a referee manager. It is unacceptable that it became something normal in the recent years when it should have never happen. I would not have any problem with Siebert being in the final if he was previously appointed in the quarter and not semi finals.
ReplyDeleteIts not the first time Marciniak did it
Delete+1, Siebert also hade Arsenals first quarterfinal leg so 3 out of 5 of the final games for Arsenal will be with the same referee. Amateur level management.
DeleteI agree totally. Just on principle, the games should be shared around, and if there are not 5 neutral refs of the right standard to do the semis and final, then that is a very worrying state for any federation. Same with Penso at last Women’s WC, disrespectful to the other perfectly good referees who could have one of the games. Also, if UEFA and others didn’t pander and to clubs / countries by letting them veto referees, they would have more choice ….
DeleteSo, we can point out that despite Felix Zwayer being selected for the World Cup, the committee stayed to its own thinking. They opted for Daniel Siebert, and once those two teams reached in the final, they really had no alternative but to choose the German referee.
ReplyDeleteI want to say one thing immediately: I could write an extremely long comment about this.
In my opinion, many people failed to understand the real consideration that the committee has for certain officials, continuing to suggest the name of Maurizio Mariani for the Champions League final. How could it ever have been possible? We are talking about a referee who has only relatively recently become Elite, still Elite, of course, and who received some good matches, including games involving Paris Saint-Germain, fair enough. But for a Champions League final, you need a pedigree, referees who already possess a certain stature and level of experience.
Guida should have come before Mariani for a CL final assignment, even Massa, I think with this example you can understand what I mean.
Daniel Siebert has that pedigree. We have to be honest about it, because it is clear to see. He had already taken part in a major UEFA competition while still a Category 1 referee, and therefore his long experience as an Elite referee certainly helped him. There was never really a possibility that they would assign the Champions League final to Mariani or to João Pinheiro, even though initially I had considered the Portuguese referee myself. But it would have made a mistake, I realized that immediately after.
In the end, the referee for this kind of match is different.
DeleteThis is not just any game. It requires someone capable of meeting extremely high standards: a referee with top-level experience, someone accustomed to handling Champions League matches, and the German clearly is, and naturally someone who can receive this honour as recognition for everything achieved up to that point. Despite everything, Siebert fits that profile.
And I say “despite everything” because it is impossible not to mention that Zwayer, who will go to the World Cup, now finds himself in a rather peculiar situation. On one hand, the committee deserves credit for remaining consistent. Zwayer had a poor first half of the season, and therefore it would have been impossible to suddenly appoint him to the Champions League final after having kept him completely out of the picture for so long. So, in that sense, there is coherence.
On the other hand, however, the clear distance between UEFA and FIFA now becomes even more significant. In the end, we can see that they simply did not want to insist on Zwayer, and that too would have been interpreted as a political move. Some people are calling Siebert’s appointment a political choice. I don't fully agree with that. In reality, there is a certain technical pathway behind it.
Of course, there were unusual circumstances: a final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal was probably the one scenario the committee least expected, and it clearly complicated matters. So I would not call Siebert a second choice, but he certainly was not among the very first names at the beginning.
Then there is Roberto Rosetti, whom we know personally went to observe him. Rosetti observations always have a purpose behind them. The German referee also arrives at this final somewhat quietly, if we are being honest, because considering his path and what he had achieved up to now, it was difficult to imagine a further step forward. It still felt as though he needed something more. But again, experience played an enormously important role here, because in the end that is what elevates a referee more than anything else.
The committee believed in him, entrusted him with everything, and ultimately guided him to the biggest achievement possible. And now, naturally, it will be quite peculiar that he will officiate the Champions League final while another German referee goes to the World Cup.
People mentioned the precedent of Terje Hauge, the last referee who officiated a Champions League final without then going to the World Cup shortly after. It had not happened again because, in theory, all referees selected for the World Cup are supposed to represent the very best of the Elite category at that moment. But evidently, in certain respects, that is not necessarily the case.
However, there were surely some forced choices and factors surrounding the appointment for this final. That much is certain.
The idea that Siebert was not initially the leading candidate reflects exactly that situation. Most likely, the first-choice appointment would have been a referee who is also heading to the World Cup. Yet on one hand, this approach can still be appreciated because it gives opportunities to others as well.
DeleteI believe Siebert has gone through criticism and difficult periods, but despite everything he came through them well. In some situations, in my opinion, he was never entirely convincing, but eventually he found a certain balance and moved away somewhat from his very strict, law-enforcer style in order to adapt more. Rosetti appreciated that.
I think Rosetti becomes very attached to his referees. That is something you can clearly notice when observing refereeing careers and trajectories. He can use both the stick and the carrot, he can be uncompromising, but in the end, what he believes you deserve, he gives you. Naturally, you also need to be in the right place at the right moment, because appointments are influenced by external factors as well. But the German referee, considering what he has done, can be described as a relative surprise, though certainly not a complete surprise.
The three referes, ruling out the ones from same nationality of PSG and Arsenal, matching the criteria for getting CL final were: Siebert, Zwayer, and Makkelie. If for Zwayer we have already said, Makkelie could have officiated, but in the end the fact that PSG was there didn't help and maybe a cleaner performance in Madrid would have helped more (nevertheless, I identify PSG issue as the primary one for the Dutch).
To follow, a few words about the other choices.
There is not much to say, however, about François Letexier, who will officiate the Europa League final. He is receiving this sort of intermediate “wild card” while waiting for a future Champions League final.
DeleteI agree with the decision. It is probably better not to give him everything immediately because, having already officiated the European Championship final, giving him a few more years will also keep him motivated. In any case, he fully deserves this Europa League final. His path has been fairly straightforward, even though nobody would ever have imagined going first from a European Championship final to a Europa League final afterward.
Still, it works out well for François Letexier. In my opinion, this season he has not quite reached the absolute perfection, the peak level he showed around the period of the Euros, but that is not a problem. He still enjoys enormous trust, and rightly so.
Maurizio Mariani is a good referee, but from there to painting him as a Champions League final refereem allow me, once again, to say this as an Italian and therefore with the maximum objectivity, there is still a very long way to go.
DeleteIn reality, the Italian referee has been strongly supported in order to take over from Marco Guida and to eventually go to the World Cup. We have to be honest and face reality.
What will happen now? This UEFA Europa Conference League Final could become a starting point where perhaps Guida will retire and Mariani will gradually step into the spotlight. But from there, guys, to officiating a Champions League final without a substantial background, without, for example, a Champions League semifinal in the top competition, it becomes extremely complicated.
That said, he has had a good season. Not a perfect one, because mistakes have certainly been made. The Conference League appointment tells us a lot about the current level of consideration the commission has for him. And, I completely agree with it.
I still remain astonished by the people who were suggesting Mariani for the Champions League final. Really, think carefully about this concept. It would have been an incredible devaluation following this choice: and I say that in the most respectful way possible, because Mariani himself could absolutely reach a Champions League final one day in future.
How can you explain the paradox if he deserve this appointment , why he is not t one of the fiftheen referees from europe officiate wordl cup !!!
DeleteBecause WC selection is made with a certain advance and that's first factor, then the fact that this was a rather forced assignment with many referees out due to nationality. For sure, committee wouldn't have made this one in normal condition, but they were forced to. Then surely one can discuss, but at least they were consistent with previous choices.
DeleteDo you think it’s possible that there will never be a real chance to appoint Makkelie? For years now, for no apparent reason, referees with less talent and experience than him have been chosen for this match; I'm starting to think the Dutchman can’t get it for reasons we don’t know. Among these reasons is not (only?) PSG; otherwise, why not give Letexier a semifinal as well and take a chance on Scharer and Pinheiro, in case the French team in the final prevented him from getting the final? In my opinion, the committee knew that, regardless of everything, Makkelie wouldn’t get the most important match and gave him yet another semifinal as “compensation.” The strange treatment Makkelie received during EURO 2020 (excellent performance in Italy-Croatia--->Dutch referee sent home) seems to me to be confirmation of this
DeleteP.S. I agree that Mariani doesn't deserve the CL final, but would that have been a more shocking choice than Letexier at Euro 2020?
Starting from your last question, you certainly have to begin with the assumption that Letexier, during that period, had already been selected for the EURO, that's why he was there. So even though he was young and still had his whole career ahead of him, I agree, he had already been identified as what I consider a real talent, especially if we look back at the knockout stage of the 2023–2024 Champions League, where he absolutely amazed me in a match like Lazio - Bayern. Quite honestly, Mariani has never shown these kinds of qualities.
DeleteNow, of course, not every referee has to display them, but behind the choice of Letexier, a very surprising one for the EURO final, without any doubt, considering the usual standards and also following the reasoning I made earlier, which would otherwise seem contradictory, there was clearly a specific move by the committee. Especially because we also know that, in that circumstance, the committee found itself facing a problem: they actually wanted to give the final to the other French referee, but we all know how his journey started.
That said, regarding Makkelie, after all these years in which he has officiated some of the most complex matches and taken many hot potatoes away from the commission, the situation for him is becoming very disappointing from this point of view. Because never ending up being appointed to a Champions League final is something quite harsh.
I think that if he continues, he may still have a chance, but one thing seems absolutely clear: the desire to reward all the other referees quickly with a final, something I was also referring to in my previous message, does not seem to be the same in Makkelie case.
Now, I obviously don't know the reasons behind this, but honestly that is the impression I get. Of course, situations could have arisen in which he might have received the appointment, but fundamentally it does not seem like they are pushing for him. Otherwise, I repeat, they could have appointed him again immediately with Paris Saint-Germain in a normal match to try to rehabilitate his path.
I hope things can change in the future because a lot of time is starting to pass. I am not saying he is close to retirement, because due to age he is still absolutely eligible, but it is clear that every year the process starts over again, and when you start over there are countless variables involved.
Humanly speaking, I genuinely feel sorry about it, because while one can certainly criticize the referee for some of his performances, if we look at the length and level of his overall career, honestly there is no explanation why not to consider him as strong candidate for a Champions League final.
Look at palmares and officiated games.
What do you mean the three referees ruling out the ones nationality same psg and arsenal
ReplyDeleteI mean: the three referees matching the criteria for officiating CL final (important pedigree, rather medium-long experience as Elite and another major tournament attended before) were only three: Makkelie, Siebert and Zwayer.
Delete"Ruling out the ones with same nationalityof PSG and Arsenal": Oliver and Letexier (other candidates who couldn't officiate it)
Was not before the committee other choices like joao pinheiro or even mariani
DeleteWell now that we have the appointments one must say he’s not surprised about them, of course due to how inept this so called committee is.
ReplyDeleteTo commence I have to say that Siebert has been in the back of my mind ever since he officiated Denmark V Scotland quite a while ago, of course we all must recall that he stuck with his correct original decision after an OFR. Then Chelsea V Benfica at Stamford Bridge and I could go on and on and on as he’s been immense, but I have to say I believed he would only get the Confrence league, oh how wrong I was tho.
Moving on to Letexier, no words a thoroughly deserved appointment, he proved himself in that final in Germany and hasn’t looked back since. It’s good that he hasn’t been handed the UCL final at such a young age as he would have nothing to look forward to in what promises to be a stellar career.
Finally Mariani, a very undeserved appointment, and I have to say what we all think. He’s been appointed because of his nationality and the nationality of the so called committee chairman! The same person who has denied Makkelie another time! I wonder how many more in the future, if he’s not already gone by then!
Also,Siebert's rise is somehow poetic and reminds of Marciniak's WC 2022 when he deserved The Final match,same can be said about Siebert and his 25/26 CL campaign..
ReplyDeleteWe can remember 2022 and his dark moments and matches, whether it was Atletico and City and that whole Savic and Felipe fiasco or Uruguay and Ghana and whole no penalty call controversy with Cavani smashing VAR monitor.
The way he bounced back and regained trust is great,I can only remember last match where he did not have his own by the book style.
But looks like with bigger picture in his mind,he didn't want to be the main guy with being candidate for Final.
His by the books style is one of the better ones and only Meler and Kovacs(when he is true to himself)are applying that type of style that we all can appreciate.
Looks like UEFA also appreciates him,but also key factor was the fact that Oliver and Letexier were not available for The Final.
Still,bravo Siebert.
Well,with full agreement what Chefren said, I see some posts about relation of Uefa-Fifa. Look, different organization,different philosophy. Lets imagine next situation! If I m Collina, and I select on example: Spanish referee for world cup,and If I have that that Spanish referee officiate Cl Final(Hdz) im I obligated to take him. No, maybe I like performances of Arbeloa Rojas,and I take him. So thats main point of differnce between organizations.
ReplyDeleteIntresting points Chefren. But don‘t you think that UEFA themselves may have „given up“ a little bit on Siebert initially themselves? I mean it‘s not like he was UEFAs clear number one in Germany. At the Euros 2024 it was Zwayer who was clearly prefered by UEFA. Even in the last couple of years in the UCL it was more so Zwayer who was ahead in the pecking order. In my opinion UEFA plays a big part in Siebert not being one of the selected WC referees. They have kind of brought this situation on themselves.
ReplyDeleteTo me, it‘s a deserved appointment! Hopefully Siebert will become one of the more trusted Elite referees along with Turpin, Vincic, Marciniak etc.
The ambiguity surrounding Siebert’s situation, considering the trajectory of his career, played a role in favor of this truly very particular scenario which, in some respects, is difficult to explain.
DeleteAll things considered, I believe that while Felix Zwayer has always been viewed as a more universal referee, meaning that his standing at FIFA and UEFA level has consistently remained on the same level, concerning Siebert it became more apparent that, initially, he was something of a gamble, so to speak, born within the UEFA refereeing committee itself. Therefore, in that sense, his profile was a bit more restricted.
In the end, however, he still managed to build a very important career for himself, and that is why he has reached this point today, although he got here through a very strange path, one that is honestly difficult to explain.
Then, of course, for a federation like Germany, having two elite referees both taken into consideration is the minimum. So the issue may already arise from the simple fact that they are two referees from the same nation, and perhaps in another situation, if they had been of different nationalities, both one and the other would have gone to the World Cup.
Let’s say that Zwayer has always seemed to possess that little something extra in terms of history and overall consideration, but in the end, as of today, he still has not managed to officiate the very last step.
With this appointment, despite the fact that Zwayer will go to the World Cup, for the moment Siebert can be very proud of what he has achieved.
Vladimir Sajn is observing Siebert.
ReplyDeleteReferees who officiated the European Champion Clubs’ Cup / UEFA Champions League final and were not appointed to the FIFA World Cup in that same year:
ReplyDeleteAlbert Alsteen (BEL) - 1956
Concetto Lo Bello (ITA) - 1970
Alfred Delcourt (BEL) - 1974 (2 Leg's UCL Final)
Georges Konrath (FRA) - 1982
Michel Vautrot (FRA) - 1986
Hellmut Krug (GER) - 1998
Terje Hauge (NOR) - 2006
Daniel Siebert (GER) - 2026
Just a minor correction: Albert alsteen - 1958
DeleteI can’t believe Siebert is going to referee the Champions League final after his questionable performance in London. Atlético fans can’t believe this appointment either. I’m not surprised considering UEFA’s standards, but I think there were much better candidates than the German referee. Anyway, it almost makes you lose the desire to even comment on it
ReplyDeleteSiebert can lose control of the match in high-pressure atmospheres... He delivered an poor performance and looked completely dazed during the Fenerbahçe - Benfica CL playoff match this year
ReplyDeleteI remember this game in Istanbul. Siebert disrupted the pace of the match in such a way that the game became slow to move.
DeleteI respect those who defend his selection for Budapest, but for me, this appointment doesn't make me so thrilled. Primarily because PSG is a highly intense team.
There may be reasons for not giving the game to Siebert, but his semi final performance isn’t one of them! He had a very good game, despite Atletico’s usual sour grapes - Spanish clubs would do better to treat referees better at home and abroad, rather than the constant circus and conspiracies around referees which gets quite boring ….
DeleteAny info on referee team for tomorrows big game
ReplyDeleteAl Nassr- Al Hilal? 19.00
Winner here wins the league 99 %
Brisard voted as best ligue 1 referee this season.. congrats
DeleteWow!
Delete@Nezazzuri Don't really know how this award is given but i don't think he is the best in ligue 1, i will put Bastien in front of him and then of course you can say Turpin or Letexier but more difficult games so more controversies in their game is probably why they are not winning it.
DeleteAnd also FFF is now clearly pushing the last couple of years in favor of Brisard for potentialy starting to get more european games so they probably prefer to give it to someone who need more light than Letexier or Turpin that everybody knows.
DeleteHaven’t watched much of Ligue 1, but it’s true that Turpin and Letexier were more involved into controversies and as you said, had most of the big games as well as Bastien.
DeleteBrisard and Bastien were clearly the best referees in Ligue 1 this season IMO, so logical to see Brisard rewarded.
DeleteThe trophy is awarded based on votes from Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 referees.
About Nassr Hilal, a saudi journalist mentionned that Rumsas will be the referee.. waiting for official confirmation
DeleteWell, certainly an abnormal situation. If it wasn't known already, I am now 100% certain that we would be reading the name of Michael Oliver or Francois Letexier if the situation in the UCL final allowed. Dare I say, UEFA were hoping for this.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Siebert after a good season. It absolutely cannot be argued that this appointment is undeserved, especially in the interesting context we find ourselves in.
Nevertheless, in an ordinary season the odds would be completely against a referee that did a UCL SF 2nd Leg, and will not go WC that year, to be appointed for UCL final. Also, no major final before UCL final is also somewhat surprising.
Without unnecessarily attacking Felix Zwayer, he must feel a little 'imposter syndrome' this summer at WC. I mean the fact he is there ahead of Siebert, especially now. From the same nation, one referee had no UCL knockout fixtures, another did a SF 2nd Leg and will officiate the final, yet it is the former selected for the WC. Unusual is an understatement and this shows the uniqueness of the situation regarding UCL final this year.
As for Makkelie, he must wonder if his time will ever come. After a good season, his path to the UCL final would certainly be more 'natural' than Siebert. By this, I mean his previous UEL final appointment, his selection at multiple international tournaments, and his UCL SF 1st Leg rather that 2nd Leg. I'm questioning whether the OFRs in Atleti - Arsenal are 100% the cause of his non-appointment to the UCL Final, or whether UEFA simply still don't view him as the man for the final, especially considering there are arguments he could/should have received this appointment already previously. His time will come I'm sure, it's just surprising it hasn't already.
Once more, congratulations to Siebert. If I was asked my opinion whether this appointment is deserved or undeserved, I would certainly lean completely towards deserved, yet we must remember the unusual context of the situation.
Guida will finally have his Coppa Italia final.
ReplyDeleteI feel really upset about Makkelie not being appointed to CL final and who knows what his motivation will be next year. But I think he will be motivated at the World Cup, and, probably, will be the candidate for a final.
ReplyDeleteAbout Siebert - of course I wish all the best in his career match, but my personal expression is that he lacks some qualities top elites have. I would even say, that Zwayer should have come first in terms of experience, but maybe the current form of Siebert was crucial at the moment.
OT: According Hungarian Football Federation, Márton Rúsz will attend at UEFA EURO U17 in Estonia.
ReplyDeleteUEFA U17 CHAMPIONSHIP - ESTONIA 2026
ReplyDeleteReferees:
Florian Lata ALB
Konstandínos Fellás CYP
Aléxandros Tsakalídis GRE
Oğuzhan Çakır TUR
Asker Najafaliyev UZB
Thomas Gary Owen WAL
Assistant Referees:
Mario Shazivari ALB
Iraklís Komodrómos CYP
Michaíl Papadákis GRE
Aleksandras Stepanovas LTU
Nikola Borović SRB
Furkan Ürün TUR
Ruslan Serazitdinov UZB
Lewiss Ross Edwards WAL
Fourth Officials:
Márton Rúsz HUN
Vlatko Ilioski MKD
and U19?
DeleteHe posted under 17, instead of thanking for U17, another request, OK...
DeleteDonatas Rumsas has the Saudi title decider (Al Hilal v Al-Nassr) tonight.
ReplyDeleteWow,very tough match for a ref that is not known as the elite of elites.
DeleteI thought they will send a more experienced referee
DeleteHe has 9 games in Saudi Arabia all with no problems. Both Al Hilal and Al Nassr was satisfied with him.
DeleteHe will try to avoid cards as long as he can and then from minute 60 he can only hope result will save him. If we have draw or Al Hilal in lead it will be hell last 20 minutes for Rumsas. Good luck to him and his team.
ReplyDeleteFrench cup appointments
Finale de la Coupe de France Crédit Agricole 2026
Arbitre : Jérôme BRISARD (F1-Élite / FIFA / Ligue Pays de la Loire)
Arbitre assistant 1 : Alexis AUGER (AF1-Élite / FIFA / Ligue de Normandie)
Arbitre assistant 2 : Steven TORREGROSSA (AF1-Élite / Ligue Méditerranée)
4e officiel : Bastien DECHEPY (F1-Élite / FIFA / Ligue Grand Est)
Arbitre vidéo : Alexandre CASTRO (VAR / Ligue Auvergne Rhône-Alpes)
Arbitre vidéo assistant : Guillaume PARADIS (F1-Élite)
Arbitre assistant de réserve : Thomas LUCZYNSKI (AF1-Élite)
Already 3 YC after 30 minutes by Rumsas but IMO all correct and necessary.
ReplyDeleteWhat impressed performance by Rumsas!! Genuinely too good and make every decision easy one. Top class
ReplyDeleteAgree. Great game without big mistake. Total control of the game.
DeleteFully agree.
Delete+1
DeleteBased on how he performed recently, Rumsas has converted himself into a very serious candidate to handle the next Super Cup, in my opinion.
DeleteI didn't watch the game, but it's nice to hear.
DeleteMaybe he is a name that some people slightly underestimate.
Unlike others, he reached UEFA Elite after really having to "earn it" (more than others!) over a long period and being carefully developed over time.
He still keeps that slight tendency to "let things flow," which can sometimes raise doubts, but recently his UEFA trajectory has been more than good.
It will be interesting to see what level of reputation he can reach in the UEFA Elite.
We'll be following closely…
https://streambug.org/cv/79acfd
Delete18’ - Goal correctly disallowed for offside (Lm: Radius), good teamwork w/ ref
https://streambug.org/cv/7cdca8
51’ - Potential SYC to Nsr no19 for reckless tackle
https://streambug.org/cv/8cef36
75’ - Potential RC to Nsr no79 for SFP by lunging (YC given)
https://streambug.org/cv/e02c23
81’ - In theory, missed SYC to Hil no22 for reckless arm use
https://streambug.org/cv/06d933
+92’ - RC to Nsr staff member for VC; potential RC to Hil no19 for VC (YC given)
https://streambug.org/cv/de9d1a
FT - unacceptable behaviour towards ref (+ poor work by security staff)
Agree, very good and also accomplished performance by Rumsas! Any doubts about seniority were more-or-less totally disabused by his refereeing tonight. The only area for development, as I said for Rayo-Strasbourg, is developing a strategy to change from being a 'mediator' to a 'dictator' when required. One has to be fair - the Lithuanian referee is another huge Rosetti success story! After this season's Super Cup appointment, I agree with Upstylon, Rumsas seems the obvious candidate to take charge at Salzburg in August.
Siebert - Sajn
ReplyDeleteOlofsson - Rosetti
(For me) a surprising announcement: Isn't it long-standing practice to nominate female observers for women's competitions? I can understand that female referees rarely actively officiate men's games, because they are usually physically at a disadvantage, similar to how the fastest 100-meter female sprinter will never run faster than the fastest male sprinter. In the area of referee observers, however, I consider a mixed approach easier to implement and have often wondered why, for example, Dagmar Damkova does not observe matches with male referees. I find the appointment of Roberto Rosetti for this final rather odd in this respect. Or does he plan to put Tess Olofsson on the pre-list for the Men's European Championship 2028?
DeleteThe point you make, Peter, is correct. In reality, there are some male observers involved in women’s matches, because the entire pool of female observers is usually not enough to cover all the games, especially when many are played at the same time. However, the opposite never happens, we never see a female observer assigned to assess a men's match in UEFA.
DeleteThat said, it is also worth remembering that in many cases, for official observations during finals, the name of the committee member listed is just a pro forma, because very often almost the entire committee is present anyway, especially in isolated events like this, the four club competition finals played on different dates. In this case, the same committee will most likely attend all the matches.
It could also simply have been an invitation by Dagmar Damkova to Rosetti himself. Still, it has to be said that, when you keep following the women’s appointments and always see Dagmar Damkova alone in the major matches, it does come across as a bit peculiar.
However, as you said, only argument if you want to find something technical behind, there may be plans involving the Swedish official, who, as we may recall, seemed at one stage, at least initially, to have been included among the possible candidates for the men's World Cup that will be played this year. Then, however, everything faded away and there were no further updates at all. She just followed Women's WC path.
For me, the development of women's refereeing in the age of gender policy and diversity management is nevertheless disappointing: Already more than 20 years ago, Nicole Petignat officiated her first men's games in the European Cup, before this concept was discarded again. After that, a few women, like Stephanie Frappart and Kateryna Monzul, were used quite erratically and 'forcibly': Directly the Supercup, reserved for a meaningless game on the last day of the World Cup group stage (which then with Germany - Costa Rica was not completely 'meaningless' after all, as there was no such match - and also not continentally neutral). Every major company boasts about female quotas and equality. In refereeing, it would be easy at least to appoint some high-profile female observers for men's games. Or does one not trust women to evaluate situations correctly in the tendentially faster men's football?
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI think they would have a difficult job, as it was probably their moaning / pressure which vetoed Makkelie!
DeleteSiebert - Sajn
ReplyDeleteOlofsson - Rosetti
Letexier - Rosetti
wow big surprise with Siebert but fully deserved! Good appointment for Letexier and Mariani as well. Good luck guys!
ReplyDeleteWell, even being German I would have preferred Makkelie for the final, but sure, Siebert was an acceptable choice, too.
ReplyDeleteAt least I am happy that Pinheiro is not having a job for any of the finals here after his scandalous performance in Munich. Why the REFCOM decided to give this game to him - knowing that 4 players of PSG are from Portugal - will be a sort of mystical error. Let's not forget: Pinheiro stopped Kane:s attack by his GHOST WHISTLE, sacrificing the VAR-protocol completely, not even looking at the situation, and with his own AR not even flagging offside!!! This action alone should lead to banning Pinheiro from any more international games for minimum 1 year or even more!
And then the RIDICOLOUS maybehandball of Laimer, who did not even touch the ball with his hand or arm, I checked all available replays: THERE WAS NOTHING, SIMPLY NOTHING! But what we saw, was the clear handball of the PSG defender who stopped Olise's promising attack and had to get a clear 2nd YC. Imagine PSG playing with 10 players for 60 minutes. A player from Portugal and his referee from Portugal.
And then the handball in the psg-box 2 minutes later. Yes, there are good arguments against a PK in this situation. But have a look at the PK against Davies in the 1st match...
No, guys, this half final was simply manipulated. It is not sure that Bayern would have won against 10 PSG players defending 60 minutes their goal. I do not say that it is about QATAR AIRWAYS as a UEFA-sponsor and the PSG-club owner, as many prominent others do now, cause I do like to analyze clear facts only. But I do say that we watched a real scandal.
neunert, good analysis. Pinheiro delivered the worst officiating performance across all three UEFA competitions. He may be heading to the World Cup—undeservedly so—but hopefully only as a fourth official.
Deletehttps://x.com/SerdarAkcer/status/2054248514155118954
ReplyDeleteTo the UEFA and FIFA Executive Committees and Referees' Committees,
@UEFA
@FIFAcom
Today, in an interview with the official state news agency, Anadolu Agency, the President of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), Mr. İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu, stated:
"Normally, it takes four years to reach the 'Elite' referee category, but God willing, we will accelerate this process as much as possible through our personal friendly relations. We will see the results later. These brothers of ours will officiate in the next European Championship and the subsequent World Cup. If they cannot, you may hold me personally accountable."
In light of these statements, I would like to pose the following questions:
When determining UEFA referee categories, are the personal relationships of member federation presidents prioritized over objective performance criteria?
Does the use of personal influence to bypass standard promotion timelines align with the UEFA Code of Ethics regarding neutrality and integrity?
If the TFF President’s claim is accurate, does this not constitute a form of institutional corruption or a significant breach of sporting integrity?
Halil Umut Meler, Turkey's only Elite referee, had not been assigned to any Champions League matches for the majority of the season, yet was suddenly appointed to the Bayer Leverkusen vs. Arsenal match in the Round of 16. Was this appointment influenced by the aforementioned "friendly relations"?
Are UEFA’s referee appointments for Turkish officials based strictly on technical performance metrics, or are they subject to political and personal lobbying?
Will the end-of-season UEFA referee category reviews be influenced by the diplomatic ties claimed by the TFF President?
We had president of Bulgarian FA asking for immediate suspension of Georgi Kabakov some weeks ago (and indeed he's totally out from Bulgarian games). This case is even worse...
DeleteThe "best" (among the worst..) explanation we can give is that the Turkish president spoke out of arrogance, in a boastful way, trying to make it seem as though he could actually do those things in order to create an effect on those listening to him. However, FIFA and UEFA can't ,under any circumstances, accept such statements, and therefore they should answer.
DeleteCan you help me with a full translation in English?
ReplyDeletehttps://streamable.com/h2onym
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteSandro, you’re the first Swiss referee at a World Cup since 2010. What does that mean to you?
DeleteIt means a great deal to me. I can remember the first World Cup I watched, in 1994 in the USA; that’s what sparked my passion, and now, 30 years later, I get to be there myself in the USA. It also shows that the way I want to do about my job is well received, and that means a great deal to me.
You were already there at the last European Championship, which was also a first for you. What have you taken away from that?
A tournament is mentally much more challenging than a single Champions League match. It goes on for several weeks; we’re already moving in on 31 May, 11 days before the first match, then the process begins with briefings, seminars and training – that’s mentally very demanding. You also don’t know when the matches will be; you’re always on standby. In the Champions League, you have much more preparation time; you know exactly when you’re travelling and can prepare for the teams in greater detail. That’s why I can benefit greatly from the last European Championship.
The nature of a World Cup is always a bit different from a European Championship, with referees from different continents. Where do you see the biggest challenges?
The biggest challenge is consistency – ensuring that the same situations are judged the same way across different matches – and that’s where most of the preparation time goes on the technical side. At Euro 2024, the main focus was on establishing a consistent approach with referees from different countries and now also from different continents.
The anticipation is huge, but so are the challenges. How are you preparing in the run-up to the tournament?
I don’t really have much time to think about it. The competitions are still going on – the league and the cup in Switzerland, and internationally the club competitions until the end of May. It’s actually a good thing that I don’t have too much time to worry about it.
Refereeing is constantly evolving, and new rules are being introduced for the World Cup. How do you deal with that?
Ultimately, I’m a service provider for football. When they say these and those rules are being implemented, I just do it without overanalysing it. Personally, I think the rule changes are good. They make the game flow better. After all, spectators in the stadium and watching on TV are entertained when the ball is in play. So I do hope that this will lead to more fluent play.
Thanks, very kind.
DeleteYou're very welcome; this is probably the first time my knowledge of Swiss German is helping someone internationally :)
Deletevery solid from Guida in the first half of the final
ReplyDeleteExcellent performance in one of the easiest match of the season
DeleteScottish Premiership, the title hasn’t left Glasgow (Celtic and Rangers) in 40 years, Celtic V hearts in a TITLE decider on the FINAL DAY of the season. Who will referee and who will be VAR in what will be the biggest game in Scotland in 40 years? Will Collum need a foreign referee? Or will he opt for a FIFA second cat Don Robertson or even a non FIFA referee Kevin Clancy?
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised they didn't keep Nick Walsh out when this was always likely to be the case. Now I do think the most likely case is that they opt for Robertson, but we will see
DeleteGiven that he's done both teams recently and no controversy for either team (Hearts and Celtic) in either game, should just give it to Walsh. He's the best referee and should be given the task to handle this. As for VAR might as well draw a name out of a hat.
DeleteAnd after the Scottish Cup final appointment the best thing Collum can do is resign, he is losing and for me has lost support of the clubs which have rather dramatically taken a downward turn this season.
But realistically Walsh doesn't get it given that so for me it's Robertson or Clancy, anyone else would be a complete shock.
DeleteI think Collum should bring in a foreign referee after what’s happened tonight.
DeleteI would agree but what a "kick in the teeth" it would be for our domestic referees. If it is a non Scottish referee, ideally someone who wont whistle the game to death and has an understanding of the Scottish/UK style of play.
DeleteI worry severely about the pressure on the referee appointed for this fixture on Saturday. I would prefer Clancy over Robertson.
DeleteI know they won't do it but I do stand by my remarks of appointing Walsh if appointing a Scottish referee. This game needs your best candidate and your best candidate is Walsh. A UEFA elite referee, the best referee in Scotland. It is unprecedented so I think there should be an unprecedented appointment.
DeleteIf I was the appointing officer, I would go as follows: Walsh, Connor, McFarlane, Clancy.
DeleteRobertson and Aitken as VAR/AVAR in some order.
Yes you’re right, it has to be Walsh or a foreign referee. If not the Clancy for me. But it will be Robertson.
DeleteI'll throw this out there, if they decide a foreign referee and it is short notice in my opinion to find one, who are you choosing? For me I would have Nyberg, Eskas or Taylor/Oliver (one can dream).
DeleteIf they were to appoint a foreign referee (they won't) it would make sense for it to be an English referee. There is of course regular dialogue between the SFA refereeing hierarchy and the PGMOL
DeleteImpossible to be Walsh due to refereeing Celtic and Hearts in the last 4 days. This outcome was always a possibility so I think we can assume they planned for Robertson or Clancy in this match (I don't think either has refereed the teams for a while).
DeleteI'd say Robertson is most likely. Already this season he refereed 2 x Old Firm matches and several other high profile matches without much controversy.
Final minute VAR review (Dallas) in Motherwell v Celtic, penalty awarded by Beaton for handball. Scored in the last play to put Celtic one point behind Hearts going into the final day shootout.
ReplyDeletehttps://streamin.me/v/e4bdae67
Never handbal, he clears the ball with his head!!
DeleteFrankly that sums up just how bad some of the decisions have been domestically this season. I have no idea how that has been referred for VAR, if it hits his hand predominantly then ball does not go anywhere the distance it does.
DeleteThis is not a conclusive handball, however the penalty can be given for a reckless swing of the elbow. Even tho Beaton gave it for handball. This is an absolutely massive game on Saturday that needs a proper referee.
DeleteHearts have every right to be absolutely furious about the decisions in the last 2 games
DeleteEcosse, as a supporter of a top flight team that obviously isn’t Hearts, Celtic or Rangers. I must say I can understand where the frustration of certain fans is coming from after 40 years of constant baffling decisions that have benefited the old firm, however I was having a conversation with someone the other day about how much Var has benefited Scottish referees and I believe hearts are in the position they are in now in part due to Var that in my opinion has obliged referees to be more neutral towards other teams if you get what I mean.
DeleteYes I totally get what you mean. Hearts have obviously had quite a few VAR calls in their favour over the course of the season. However there is no doubt that there will be a heck of a lot of conspiracies flying about with these decisions the last few games. I can't blame Hearts fans tbh
DeleteSo I look at this at this from a similar perspective, I agree with everything you've outlined ScotRef in your post, I don't have a top flight team, my team play in the championship. Having attended most games this season, I have found the referees on the round to be better when they don't regularly referee in the Premiership. I don't know why that is or if I've just caught the regular premiership referees (few exceptions granted) on a bad day most times but I do feel the quality of referees this season has got worse and there is an alarming lack of depth of who can do the top games in this country and there have been a pattern of decisions over the course of the season which have been at best debatable and at worst just downright incompetent.
DeleteI must admit the OFR is not very convincing. Arm is high so any contact and it should be a penalty - but I'm not convinced there is proof of the hand touching the ball. I prefer no intervention and just leave this to the onfield officials.
DeleteAssuming there is not a clearer angle available to VAR which is a possibility surely.
" I'm not convinced there is proof of the hand touching the ball."
DeleteThe frame by frame shows the hand between the ball and forehead so I'm sure how the ball can be headed back without it touching some part of the hand.
*so I'm _not_ sure how (missed a word)
DeleteI don't see an evidence that it was handball, but possible to give foul for the action with the arm on attacker. Nevertheless, based only on this video, I can't say 100% VAR correct intervention. Did VAR have a better evidence that ball was touched by arm? They should have shown it during the OFR or maybe after. Very decisive call, leaves the idea of controversial.
ReplyDeleteI also noticed that both Beaton and Walsh were used in most of such recent potentially crucial games, but now there will be the very last one and another referee will be in charge. Should we say poor management? Maybe Collum didn't expect that such outcome until the very end...
Agree with this view that the decision leaves a controversial feeling. I think a 'no penalty' decision would also be controversial. Perhaps this is a reason for VAR to leave it alone and go with onfield decision? But we must say perhaps VAR had a more decisive image. We must also say Dallas is a very experienced VAR working a lot with Walsh & Oliver in UCL.
DeleteI think its clear they planned probably Robertson for this decisive match whilst knowing the matches leading up could also be decisive. It seems he's trusted in Scotland with important matches alongside Walsh and Beaton. But it's clear this match can be something special for sure
Image captured by a photographer behind the goal confirming the hand was between the ball and head
Deletehttps://www.alamy.com/motherwell-uk-13-may-2026-motherwells-sam-nicholson-was-given-a-controversial-handball-for-this-challenge-in-the-box-in-the-scottish-premiership-match-between-motherwell-and-celtic-at-fir-park-credit-ryan-fleming-alamy-live-news-image732208395.html
I asked a simple question yesterday that: whether there has ever been a case that a ref has been assigned to the same team from QF to SF to Final in the long history of any of the 3 major tournaments in Europe (CL, EL, Euros), and my question was removed by the adm. It speaks volume bout this forum. I got my answer. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteIt probably wasn't removed on purpose, it can happen, but yeah, I don't remember such things to happen, at least in recent history .. Completely forgot Siebert had Arsenal in the quarters ..
DeleteDon Robertson referee, Kevin Clancy VAR for Celtic v Hearts
ReplyDeleteWalsh ref and Irvine on Var for hibs v Motherwell for 4th place.
DeleteHuge assignment for Donald Robertson, but indeed it's hard to have more discussions than yesterday's game. Maybe the next one will be easier, hopefully for him!
DeleteBest of luck to Don and team for what is almost certainly the biggest game of his career.
DeleteAlso,Siebert gets the decider for staying or relegation in Bundesliga.
ReplyDeleteSt.Pauli-Wolfsburg
Let me tell you another fascinating chapter in the total decline of Italian football.
ReplyDeleteAs of today, Thursday May 14, nobody still knows when the next Serie A round this weekend will actually be played. The league had originally scheduled some matches on Sunday at 12:30 PM, but in Rome there is also the Italian Open tennis tournament and its final on Sunday, the same day. Because of this, the prefect of Rome ordered that the matches can't be played at that time on that day and moved them to Monday evening at 8:45 PM.
Serie A, however, absolutely refuses to accept such a decision because, for television and commercial reasons, it wants the matches to stay on Sunday. So now there is an ongoing battle, and the league even made another proposal to the prefect and the Ministry of the Interior, which was rejected as well: they suggested playing the match at 12:00 instead and delaying the tennis final a bit later. Incredible: football wants to take control on everything.
That proposal was not accepted either, so now there will actually be a judge's ruling over something like this. Only in Italy can we reach these levels.
If Italian football is in decline, maybe it sounds a bit populist to say so, but I honestly think situations like this are part of what now clearly shows the failure of the entire system. I find it completely unacceptable that, at this point, a supporter still cannot know when he is supposed to attend the match.
For this reason, the referee appointments were supposed to be released at noon, just a few minutes ago, but obviously they can't publish them because, with VAR officials, operations rooms and overlaps with other matches, everything has to fit together properly. If it were only about the on field referees there would be no issue, but VAR assignments can't simply be thrown together randomly. So, naturally, everyone is waiting for a final decision, which should apparently arrive later this evening.
Then they go to court and ask for an emergency ruling over something like this, absurd. Of course there are economic interests involved, but are we seriously supposed to believe nobody realized this earlier? The Serie A round with the Rome derby had already been scheduled months ago when the fixtures were released at the start of the season. The Italian Open final in Rome was also scheduled for this exact date. So they knew perfectly well about the situation, but apparently the mentality is: “let's move forward and eventually we'll find a solution when the problem explodes.”
Honestly, I remain stunned by everything I see nowadays, both in the system and in society. Sometimes you almost wish you could enter these people's minds just to understand what on earth they are thinking. But truly, it is hard to become more ridiculous than this in Italy.
The president of the Italian Referees Association resigned after numerous investigations against him, the president of the Italian Football Federation stepped down following the failure to qualify for the World Cup , and he probably would not even have resigned voluntarily if pressure had not forced him to. Everything still remains vague and undefined. I am deeply disturbed by the overall situation. Thankfully, international football and refereeing still give me a genuine passion for this sport, thank also to this blog, otherwise....
The comments from various members of the Italian soccer league were also quite amusing, such as “The Roma-Lazio match at 12:30 p.m. can be watched in Japan!” or “There was a problem because we didn't think Lazio would make it to the Coppa Italia final.”
DeleteInsane .. And the referee appointments who are always released Thursday morning ( meaning today) are still not released ...
DeleteIt is a time that we discuss world cup group stage appointments
ReplyDeleteDue to the contraints of confederational neutrality, it is quite fun to guess which matches 'our' UEFA referees will be paired with, because it is not (contrary to the other confederations' referees) a crapshoot to do from the outside. There are 'only' thirty-two games out of the seventy-two for which European officials are technically eligible, so it seems sensible to assume that the majority of these will be handled between the 14-15 refs from UEFA (in WC2010, only two GS games for which European officials were allowed were not handled by Europeans - the opening game and Paraguay-N.Zealand). Here are the first matches which a European referee would be 'permitted' to handle, according to the unwritten rule used by FIFA since 2010, and a ‘fag packet’ guess for the debut fixtures of the UEFA contingent:
DeleteMD1
Mexico-S.Africa (Marciniak)
Usa-Paraguay (Makkelie)
Brazil-Morocco (Letexier)
Iv.Coast-Ecuador
S.Arabia-Uruguay (Oliver)
Iran-N.Zealand (Kovacs)
Argentina-Algeria (Eskas)
England-Croatia (Nyberg)
Ghana-Panama
Uzbekistan-Colombia (Vincic)
MD2
Switzerland-Bosnia (Taylor)
Canada-Qatar
Mexico-S.Korea (Zwayer)
Usa-Australia (Turpin)
Brazil-Haiti
Netherlands-Sweden (Mariani)
Ecuador-Curacao
Tunisia-Japan (Hernandez)
Uruguay-C.Verde
N.Zealand-Egypt
Jordan-Algeria (Pinheiro)
Colombia-DRCongo
I will post full predictions for MD1 (probably) on Sunday.
DeleteBut only for the UEFA referees, my idea would be:
MEX-RSA: Oliver
USA-PAR: Makkelie
BRA-MAR: Taylor
CIV-ECU: Pinheiro
KSA-URU: Mariani
ARG-ALG: Kovacs
ENG-CRO: Zwayer
UZB-COL: Nyberg
SUI-BIH: Eskas
CAN-QAT: Letexier
MEX-KOR: Vincic
USA-AUS: Marciniak
NED-SWE: Turpin
TUN-JAP: Hernandez
Looking further, the games for UEFA referees getting quite sparse in the second half of MD2 and on MD3 - so I could imagine the confed neutrality to be broken before KO stage.
Another peculiarity of the schedule is the distribution of UEFA vs. CONMEBOL games. The first such game is match 31, followed by 43 and all the others are on MD3.
Not possible that all uefa referees get match for first game in group stage because it is not euro it is a world that exists referees from all around the world
DeleteYes, these are not only MD1 games, but possible games for the UEFA referees.
DeleteOf course, there are more games, where we will see referees from other parts of the world.
2026 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship
ReplyDeleteBosnia and Herzegovina, 27 June–10 July 2026
Selected officials
Referees:
Paula Fernández Ome (Colombia, CONMEBOL - UEFA exchange)
Emily Heaslip (England)
Alexandra Collin (France)
Deborah Bianchi (Italy)
Tatyana Sorokopudova (Kazakhstan)
Miriama Bočková (Slovakia)
Fourth Officials:
Merima Čelik (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Sofiya Prychyna (Ukraine)
Assistant Referees:
Lilia Dumbalakova (Bulgaria)
Nataly Arteaga (Colombia, CONMEBOL - UEFA exchange)
Tereza Hessová (Czech Republic)
Georgia Ball (England)
Vasilia Tsiklitari (Greece)
Noémi Hegedüs-Baráth (Hungary)
Aleksandra Mostowska (Poland)
Aleksandra Kostić (Serbia)
OT: Erik Lambrechts (BEL) has been appointed as the referee for the 2026 Armenian Cup final between FC Noah and FC Urartu. Mathias Hillaert and Jo De Weirdt are the assistant referees.
ReplyDeleteFriendly:
ReplyDelete16 May 2026, 18:00 CET
Estadio Nueva Condomina, Murcia (ESP)
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND - GRENADA
Referee: Seth Galia GIB
Assistant Referee 1: Michael Macias GIB
Assistant Referee 2: Fausti Guerrero GIB
Fourth Official: Tim Reoch GIB
FIFA VMO Instructors Seminar
ReplyDeleteFrankfurt Am Main, Germany
13 - 14 May 2026
Massimiliano Irrati, Matteo Simone Trefoloni and Dalibor Đurđević trained 20 new VAR instructors.
https://ibb.co/qS3rBNv
Among them i can see: Beath, Valeri, Fritz, Moen, Blom, Jacewicz, Doué, Hategan
DeleteGreece - Super League - Championship Group
ReplyDeleteAEK Athens - Olympiacos Piraeus - Colombo A. (Ita)
Panathinaikos - PAOK - Kikacheishvili G. (Geo)
Big news
ReplyDeletehttps://www.telegraaf.nl/sport/voetbal/scheidsrechter-rob-dieperink-in-londens-hotel-gearresteerd/151704402.html
Full article (translated with google so noth perfect)
DeleteRob Dieperink arrested in London; FIFA removes World Cup referee
Rob Dieperink has become embroiled in controversy, reports De Telegraaf. The Dutch referee and international VAR official was detained in London following the Conference League match between Crystal Palace and Fiorentina on suspicion of three offenses, including the sexual assault of a minor boy. All charges against Dieperink have since been dropped by the London police due to lack of evidence.
Dieperink was acting as VAR on April 9 during the quarter-final match between Crystal Palace and Fiorentina. According to reports by The Sun, 'a UEFA official' allegedly had contact with a seventeen-year-old boy in the hotel and attempted to take him to his room. There was reportedly also unwanted physical contact involved.
During the match, the boy reported to the police. Upon returning to the hotel, Dieperink was arrested in the presence of other UEFA officials. The Dutchman was taken in for questioning and later released while the investigation continued. AD
Correspondence between Dieperink's lawyer and the London police reveals that two charges were quickly dropped, De Telegraaf confirms after reviewing the documents. These concerned sexual communication with a minor and the possession of a photo or pseudo-photo of a minor. The third charge, the alleged sexual assault, was also later dismissed due to lack of evidence.
According to reports, Dieperink immediately cooperated fully with the investigation and immediately made his phone and laptop available to the authorities. The KNVB was informed shortly after the incident and decided to continue appointing him for matches in the Netherlands.
Internationally, the matter has major consequences for Dieperink. FIFA decided not to take Dieperink – normally the regular VAR for referee Danny Makkelie – to the World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The world football governing body states that it only wants officials of impeccable character. Frenchman Willy Delajod was eventually added to the list of officials as an additional VAR.
A spokesperson for the KNVB emphasized that reports of inappropriate behavior are always taken seriously. “Rob Dieperink has provided full cooperation and full disclosure to the KNVB from the very first moment. Based on all available information, we see no reason not to appoint him for matches in the Dutch league,” the association stated.
Dieperink also responded to the situation. “It saddens me greatly that I have been wrongly accused,” he told De Telegraaf. “The accusations have been refuted and the case has been dismissed following an adequate and thorough investigation. It is unfortunate that FIFA has decided not to appoint me for the World Cup anymore.”
KNVB also replaced Dieperink, who was scheduled to serve as VAR for NEC-Go Ahead Eagles on Sunday, with Ruperti.
Deletehttps://www.knvb.nl/downloads/bestand/30008/programmavriendenloterijeredivisie17mei2026
He probably won’t work in the play-offs either. I believe there won’t be any long-term consequences, but it’s not a pleasant way to end the season.
And it’s not a minor issue for Makkelie either.
Makkelie has not worked with Dieperink in UEFA competitions throughout this season. In addition, Higler is also part of his team, so from an operational perspective they are fully capable of continuing without Dieperink.
DeleteReally sorry to hear that, of course one must wait for the final judgment, but it should be expected not to be involved in any of these situations. For this reason, I'm very surprised.
DeleteThis is about as serious an accusation as someone in football can face, so a certain degree of caution and compassion is appropriate. At the same time, all charges were dropped, so it is important not to treat people as guilty without a conviction.
DeleteI also hope this will not negatively reflect on Rumsas or other referees. There is a long list of CR-referees who happened to have worked with Dieperink this season - drawing connections to them is unfair and shouldn’t happen.