2026/27 UEFA Champions League. Please find below the referee appointments for the first set of MD2 games, to be played on Tuesday 13 October 2026.
13 October 2026
18:45 CET - Lens (Stade Bollaert-Delelis)
RC LENS (FRA) - SPORTING CP (POR)
Referee: Igor Pajač CROAssistant Referee 1: Bojan Zobenica CRO
Assistant Referee 2: Ivan Mihalj CRO
Fourth Official: Dario Bel CRO
Video Assistant Referee: Ivan Bebek CRO
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Tomasz Kwiatkowski POL
UEFA Referee Observer: Domenico Messina ITA
UEFA Delegate: Patricia González García ESP
18:45 CET - Baku (Olympic Stadium)
SABAH FK (AZE) - SK SLAVIA PRAHA (CZE)
Referee: Sebastian Gishamer AUTAssistant Referee 1: Roland Riedel AUT
Assistant Referee 2: Santino Schreiner AUT
Fourth Official: Walter Altmann AUT
Video Assistant Referee: Alan Kijas AUT
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Josef Spurny AUT
UEFA Referee Observer: Luis Medina Cantalejo ESP
UEFA Delegate: Bakar Jordania GEO
21:00 CET - Milan (Stadio Giuseppe Meazza)
FC INTERNAZIONALE (ITA) - CLUB BRUGGE KV (BEL)
Referee: Rohit Saggi NORAssistant Referee 1: Anders Olav Dale NOR
Assistant Referee 2: Ole Andreas Haukåsen NOR
Fourth Official: Sigurd Kringstad NOR
Video Assistant Referee: Carlos Del Cerro Grande ESP
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: César Soto Grado ESP
UEFA Referee Observer: Konrad Plautz AUT
UEFA Delegate: Milovan Đukanović MNE
21:00 CET - London (Emirates)
ARSENAL FC (ENG) - LOSC LILLE (FRA)
Referee: Felix Zwayer GERAssistant Referee 1: Robert Kempter GER
Assistant Referee 2: Nikolai Kimmeyer GER
Fourth Official: Richard Hempel GER
Video Assistant Referee: Robert Schröder GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Tiago Bruno Lopes Martins POR
UEFA Referee Observer: Martin Ingvarsson SWE
UEFA Delegate: Eduard Kindle LIE
21:00 CET - Madrid (Estadio Metropolitano)
CLUB ATLÉTICO DE MADRID (ESP) - MANCHESTER UNITED FC (ENG)
Assistant Referee 1: Mahbod Beigi SWE
Assistant Referee 2: Andreas Söderkvist SWE
Fourth Official: Kristoffer Karlsson SWE
Video Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel NED
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Dennis Johan Higler NED
UEFA Referee Observer: Nicola Rizzoli ITA
UEFA Delegate: Virgar Hvidbro FRO
21:00 CET - Leipzig (RB Arena)
RB LEIPZIG (GER) - PSV (NED)
Referee: Nicholas Walsh SCO Assistant Referee 1: Francis Connor SCO
Assistant Referee 2: Daniel McFarlane SCO
Fourth Official: Donald Robertson SCO
Video Assistant Referee: Andrew Dalla SCO
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Stuart Attwell ENG
UEFA Referee Observer: Frank De Bleeckere BEL
UEFA Delegate: Adonis Procopiou CYP21:00 CET - Villarreal (Estadio de la Cerámica)
VILLARREAL CF (ESP) - SSC NAPOLI (ITA)
Referee: Daniel Siebert GERAssistant Referee 1: Jan Seidel GER
Assistant Referee 2: Rafael Foltyn GER
Fourth Official: Max Burda GER
Video Assistant Referee: Sören Storks GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Bastian Dankert GER
UEFA Referee Observer: Markus Strömbergsson SWE
UEFA Delegate: Anthony Bloch ENG
21:00 CET - Istanbul (Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi)
GALATASARAY (TUR) - FC BARCELONA (ESP)
Referee: Marco Guida ITAAssistant Referee 1: Giorgio Peretti ITA
Assistant Referee 2: Giuseppe Perrotti ITA
Fourth Official: Fabio Maresca ITA
Video Assistant Referee: Marco Di Bello ITA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Aleandro Di Paolo ITA
UEFA Referee Observer: Pascal Pierre Garibian FRA
UEFA Delegate: Dane Jošt SVN
21:00 CET - Stavanger (Viking Stadion)
VIKING FK (NOR) - FC BAYERN MÜNCHEN (GER)
Referee: Georgi Kabakov BUL Assistant Referee 1: Martin Margaritov BUL
Assistant Referee 2: Martin Venev BUL
Fourth Official: Mariyan Grebencharski BUL
Video Assistant Referee: Bram Van Driessche BEL
Assistant Video Assistant Referee:Fedayi San SUI
UEFA Referee Observer: Viktor Kassai HUN
UEFA Delegate: Garry O'Hagan SCO
Wow, some very interesting and unexpected appointments
ReplyDeleteInteresting appointments. 😨
ReplyDeleteMaybe this year Nyberg is on the focus by the committee to end up with UEFA final,
ReplyDeleteZwayer back in the spotlight in London after turmoil season for him even at the USA world cup
Guida, Siebert, Walsh all expected to appear no surprise there and the rest appointed to as a stepping stone for the future ahead
Agree with Tevinjm comment.
ReplyDeleteGood times for the Swedish referee who seems to be in focus and considered for something important, long season still ahead but remarkable start for him (Napoli - Arsenal was a good performance).
To follow,we have experienced Elite referees for potentially hot clashes, first one is the game in Istanbul, if I remember correctly Guida got the Turkish team one year ago (or maybe two?) against Eintracht Frankfurt. This will be a game in which referee could have everything to lose, and no problem if this will happen with a referee rather at the end of career (I read the choice under this point of view). Hopefullyit will be a football game and not a battle.
Zwayer back in a rather high level in CL, Arsenal at home against Lille, not a big match, but it sounds good.
Siebert will be in Villarreal, normal assignment for him in a Spanish - Italy clash. The German had a similar appointment (Napoli against a Spanish team) about five years ago when he was still Cat. 1 (Napoli - Granada) and nobody could imagine that he would have been selected for the EURO a few months later.
Walsh, expected appearance for him, will continue with his regular path. But very important observer for him, with De Bleeckere. Still no time to raise the bar for now, according to committee.
Then, about the rest, as said, we have the new generation of referees with Saggi (after the NL assignment), Pajac and Gishamer.
Kabakov continues to gain space with another CL assignment.
He can estabilish himself as regular referee for such games, if not considered for something more.
Don’t forget that Nyberg refereed the Europa League semi-final between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest last season, with Velasco as the referee observer. He deserved to be given more important assignments this season. I had originally thought he might be appointed to referee this season’s UEFA Super Cup, but we’ll never know who was initially intended to take charge of that match.
DeleteAs for Pajac, I’m not sure why the committee has suddenly taken an interest in him. His situation is similar to Godinho’s: both made their Champions League debuts only last season and have since received a few Champions League appointments this season, despite already being 40 years old. At that age, promotion to the Elite category is highly unlikely. Godinho’s appointments could still be explained by his position as Portugal’s second-choice referee, but Pajac’s situation is much harder to understand.Apart from that, I have high hopes for Saggi. My only reservation is whether a country like Norway can realistically have two Elite referees.
Well, Pajac is the Croatian number one - that could be as good as Portuguese number two.
DeleteFor me, Saggi's appointment stands out the most, because of the pairing. While they don't have the highest reputation, Brugge reaches the CL KO stage nearly every season, so they can't be considered as small team. And Inter rarely gets a First Group referee even against clearly weaker opponents. Also Saggi didn't get any CL game last season, so he continues the MD1 "comeback trend" of Balakin and Kabakov.
The other First group referees are on the less sonorous games of the day.
Will be interesting now, whether some of the big names will get their first game only on MD3 next week, or whether they will all work on Wednesday. Turpin, Letexier, Kovacs and Makkelie are still missing (also further WC referees Hernandez, Mariani and Pinheiro).
The fact that Nyberg is being mentored by Rizzoli clearly indicates that UEFA has a plan for him to officiate a potential continental final this season.
DeleteHowever, it won't be an easy match at Atlético Madrid's stadium. The Spanish side tends to put immense pressure on referees in high-tension situations, and Simeone often incites the crowd against the official.
Manchester United also has players who frequently complain, such as Martínez, Maguire, and Bruno Fernandes. It will be a trial by fire for the Swede—especially regarding disciplinary management—and I hope he rises to the challenge.
Why are Italian or Spanish referees always assigned to matches played in Istanbul? In European matches where Fener-Gala-besiktas play at home, referees from other nations should be appointed too.. It's always referees from the same countries
ReplyDeleteFIFA referee Sebastian Gishamer can now look forward to his second assignment in the UEFA Champions League. About a year ago, he made his debut also in Azerbaijan during a Qarabag match, and now he’s set to officiate the Sabah vs. SK Slavia Praha game.
ReplyDeleteThe Austrian media reported on his assignment 14 days ago. Apparently, the confidentiality requirement isn’t really being observed.
As always, AVAR appointments can give some hints for Wednesday:
ReplyDeleteKwiatkowski -> Sylwestrzak seems a reasonable option, but could also work with e.g. Rumsas
Martins -> probably Pinheiro
Higler -> probably Makkelie
Soto -> could be any Spaniard; Hernandez less likely, because he mostly works with dCG
Attwell -> maybe Kavanagh
San -> maybe Schärer again, maybe another chance for Schnyder
Dankert -> several options, German and non-German
and van Driessche already VAR -> probably not Lambrechts
Also worth noting, that several VAR officials are busy in the women's games (see other post), so the pool is limited.
Mancity vs psg may be joao pinheiro
DeleteYes, indeed.
DeleteWith Letexier, Turpin, Makkelie not possible, unclarity about Kovacs' availability and Mariani's form (+ di Bello already appointed), Pinheiro should have good chances.
Ahmed.. I'm 99% sure Pinheiro will be appointed to the Aston Villa vs Fener match.
DeleteMy Predictions
ReplyDeleteFeyenoord - Como: Irfan Peljto
LASK Linz - Liverpool: Rade Obrenovič
Aston Villa - Fenerbahçe: Danny Makkelie
Bodø/Glimt - Borussia Dortmund: Marciniak
Manchester City - PSG: Maurizio Mariani
Real Betis - Porto: François Letexier / Jablonski
Shakhtar Donetsk - AEK: Alejandro Hernández
Slovan Bratislava - Stuttgart: Halil Umut Meler
Roma - Real Madrid: Clément Turpin